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6'-^   J>^ 


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'V' 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0     Iff!-  li^ 

3^   M12     „mno 


J56       I' 


•^  H£ 


I.I 


IK 


lAO 


2.2 

1.8 


PhotDgraphic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


1.25     u    |||.6 

< 

6" 

► 

23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)872-4503 


r 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  hiatoriquos 


f^nat-xtfua*:: 


••imi^^ii^i**m*'ia--t:i^4aii^!^f^/-#^S&Ui^<  ii^^t.55^<^i ;.:.'  ■-^^-;»>;.^-£s^ 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notes  tachniquaa  at  bibliographiquaa 


Tha  inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua, 
wliich  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
reproduction,  or  which  may  aignificantly  change 
tha  uaual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


Coloured  covera/ 
Couvarture  de  couleur 


^ 


r~n   Covera  damaged/ 


D 
D 


D 


Couverture  endommag^a 

Covera  reatored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  reataur^e  et/ou  pelllcuMe 

Cover  title  miaaing/ 

La  titre  de  couverture  manque 


|~n    Coloured  mapa/ 


Cartea  gAographiquas  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

r~1   Coloured  platea  and/or  iliuatrationa/ 


D 


Planchea  et/ou  iliuatrationa  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
RaliA  avac  d'autret  documenta 

Tight  binding  may  cauae  ahadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliura  serrAe  peut  cauaar  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  la  long  de  la  marge  intArieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  aJoutAea 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  la  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pagea  n'ont 
pas  itA  filmAas. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilmA  la  mailieur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  AtA  poaaible  de  aa  procurer.  Lea  dAtaila 
da  cat  exemplaire  qui  aont  paut-Atre  uniquea  du 
roint  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
t-ne  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dana  la  mAthode  normale  de  filmaga 
aont  indiquto  ci-daaaoua. 


I     I  Coloured  pagea/ 


D 
D 


Pagea  da  couleur 

Pagea  damaged/ 
Pagea  endommagAea 

Pagea  reatored  and/oi 

Pagea  reataurAea  et/ou  pelliculAes 

Pagea  diacolourad,  atained  or  foxai 
Pagea  dicoioriaa,  tachatiea  ou  piquAea 

Pagea  detached/ 
Pages  dAtachAes 

Showthrough> 
Tranaparence 

Quality  of  prir 

QualitA  inAgale  de  Timpreaaion 

Inciudea  auppiamentary  materii 
Comprend  du  matAriel  aupplAmantaira 


I — I  Pagea  damaged/ 

r~|  Pagea  reatored  and/or  laminated/ 

I — I  Pagea  diacolourad,  atained  or  foxed/ 

r~n  Pagea  detached/ 

I      I  Showthrough/ 

I     I  Quality  of  print  variaa/ 

nn  Inciudea  auppiamentary  material/ 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  diaponibie 

Pagea  wholly  or  partially  obacured  by  errata 
slips,  tissuaa,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
enaure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Lea  pagea  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obacurcias  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  una  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  At*  filmAea  A  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  mailleure  image  possible. 


This  item  Is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmA  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


10X 

1 — 1 

— 

14X 

1 1 

18X 

1 1 

1 1 

22X 

[VI 

P— 1 

Win 

1 1 

30X 

lax 

16X 

20X 

^ 

a,. — ;i>'^^ 

AJ.i^-i 

28X 

- 

32X 

— ;.  «i 

The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  bacic  cover  when  appropriate.  Ail 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


L'exempiaire  fiimA  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
gAnArositi  de: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  AtA  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  netteti  de  l'exempiaire  fiim6,  at  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmaga. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  film^s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iliustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iliustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniftre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  fiimA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  has,  en  prenant  ie  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1  2  3 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

^'"'ifrrWfc^iiiiriiiiu'i"***" 


i 

0H 


hi 
O 


2 


H 


p!!- 


'■1 


A  GENTLE 


BENEFACTRESS 


BY 

MRS.  J.  J.  COLTER     '^  -  ^  ^  \ 

Author  of  V^  "►SSSsjj.jj^ 

"Onb  Quiet  Life,"  "  Robbie  Meredith,"  "Mbdolink  i 

Sblwvn's  Work."  "  Milorbb  Krnt's  Hero."  ^^  | 


flJ7 


BOSTON 

D.   LOTHROP  COMPANY    - 

WASHWGTON8STREBT  OprOSITB  BROMnCLD 


\ 


\ 


\ 


■■"p*«a* 


(BHPWfUSHSWK" 


mmmmmmm^. 


CorVKIGHT,  189a, 

BV 

D,  LoTHKOr  COHPANV. 


",,     » 


?   If 


CONTENTS. 


CHAr. 

Vam 

I. 

Thi  Pikes       .        .       •        • 

9 

II. 

Akobla.    ...••• 

29 

III. 

A  New  Life  Bbouk 

43 

IV. 

Angela's  Tea  Pabties  . 

61 

V. 

Fbbtivai-  Times       .        .        .        . 

73 

VI. 

Mks.  Wilbur  Moxton's  Plans    . 

91 

VII. 

A  Passage  at  Abms 

108 

VIII. 

A  SUBPBISE 

114 

IX. 

BOABDINQ-SCHOOL     .          .          .          . 

133 

X. 

SiSTBB  DOBA    .          .           .          •          • 

144 

XI. 

In  the  Slums  .        .        .        ♦ 

168 

XII. 

By  THE  Sea    .... 

178 

XIII. 

Mabk  and  Lucy     .        .        . 

187 

XIV. 

Besoued  fbom  the  Slums     . 

206 

XV. 

New  Homes    .... 

285 

XVI. 

The  New  David  Gbant 

249 

XVII. 

Anothbb  Journey  of  Mbbcy 

258 

XVIII. 

A  Pbomise       .... 

.        269 

XIX. 

A  Call    

281 

XX. 

An  Unpaid  Helpbb 

292 

XXI. 

A  Pabtino      .        .       •       • 

304 

XXII. 

A  Meeting      .       .        •       • 

317 

XXIIL 

The  ENft.,  •  .        .        •        • 

326 

mKsmmammmmmm 


liSHRiliHmMH 


mimmtmmmammmmmmi 


L.  t^ 


■  , 


i 


.mJDJZ 


auiis 


ffll     ..  Il.._l.xtlgll 


#,■" 


■■noaniVMiE 


MHROTHMi 


A  GENTLE  BENEFACTRESS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

TBK  PINKH^ 

On  a  gently  doping  hill  facing  the  west,  stood 
a  roomy,  oldJaahioned  house  that  had  fronted 
the  storms  and  sunshine  for  five  and  forty  years. 
It  was  inclosed  on  every  side,  save  a  narrow 
space  in  front,  by  great  pines  that  were  them- 
selves   a  part  of  the  forest  primeval.    Inside 
their  shelter,  and  directly,  around  the  house,  was 
a  strip  of  grass  ground,  whUe  beyond  them  on 
the  outside  ky  smooth,  sloping  meadows  and 
grain  fields,  with  pasture  binds  where  cows  and 
sheep  were  feeding  ankle  deep   in  grass   and 
clover,  for  the  "Pines"  was  a  farm  under  an 
unusuaUy  fine  state  of  cultivation,  having  been. 


?.t^'^^--^*-'^''-^*^-^'^ 


wmmm 


10 


THK  PINB8. 


intelligently  managed  for  two  genetationi..     The 
house  was  painted  a  soft  tint  of  gray,  that  har- 
monized  well  with  its  green  setting  of  grass  and 
foliage,  while  all  around  were  vines  and  sweet 
perfumed  flowers  that  made  it  a  haunt  of  bird 
and  bee.     At  the  left,  as  you  stood  in  the  door- 
way  and  jus^-  within  shelter  of  the  towering  pines, 
was'  a   fvuit  orchard;    apples,   pears,   apricots 
and  plums,  hung  in  rich  abundance  from  the 
limbs,  while  here  and  there  a  cherry-tree  stood 
shamefacedly  amid  the  clustering  richness  of  the 
golden  autumn  days,  its  own  sweetness  of  fruitage 
a  memory  alone. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  house  was  a  large  gar- 
den  where  the  smaUer  fruits  held  riot  from  June 
till  October.     Gh-eat  strawberry  beds  that  har- 
monized  so  well  with  the  meek-eyed  Aldemeys 
and  Jerseys  that  lay  in  the  sunsnine  on  the  other 
side  of  the  pine-trees,  chewing  their  cuds  in  drowsy 
content.     At  tea-time  the  strawberry  beds  and  the 
Aldemeys  would  send  in  their  offerings,  makmg 
a  combination  the  very  immortals  might  deign  to 
feast  upon,  if  they  visited  our  earth  a^  m  the 
chadhood  of  humanity,  when  the  best  the  patn- 
archs  had   to   offer  them  were  veal  and  short 

OA.K68 

The  garden  was  roomy  enough  not  only  for 


•ROMMIMMNNMt 


THE  PINKS. 


11 


the  oarmine-tinted  atrawberries  and  raspberries, 
but'  for  the  green  goosebemes  and  the  varying 
tinted  currants,  the  blackberry  and  all  the  vari- 
eties of  vegetable  that  our  rone  produces  for  table 
use.'  Long,  neatly  kept  beds  were  ranged  side 
by  side  with  old-fashioned  precision,  and  with 
their  abundance  of  fruitage,  in  the  eyes  of  the 
practical  farmers,  were  quite  as  beautiful  as  the 
beds  overflowing  with  flowers  that  lay  nearer 
the  house. 

The  farmers  around  used  to  say  that  the  things 
were  so  used  to  growing  there,  they  didn't  need 
much  io«.>^'ing  after,  but  the  elderly  man  with  iron 
gray  hair  and  stooping  shoulders,  who  had  worked 
among  them  from  early  manhood,  would  have  told 
you  a  di£ferent  story.  He  was  an  authority  on 
slugs  and  grubs  and  such  insignificant  creatures 
which  are  the  torment  of  full-grown  men  who, 
like  their  forefather  Adam,  would  till  the  ground 
and  gather  the  fruits  of  their  labors.  The  con- 
tent seemed  an  unequal  and  even  ridiculous  one; 
a  six-foot  man,  with  all  his  equipment  of  brain 
and  physical  strength,  and  an  inch-long  grub, ' 
without  any  brains  to  speak  of  and  not  a  drop  of 
genuine  blood  in  his  body ;  but  to  his  vexation 
and  dismay,  the  full-grown  man  was  often  exas- . 
perated  to  find  some^  pet  specimen  of  plant  that 


M.- 


he  reckoned  might  not  only  garnish  the  dinner- 
table,  but  take  a  prize  at  the  fair,  cut  off  by' the 
toothless  creature,  and  left  lying  ignominiously 
on  the  mould. 

David  Wardell  had  hundreds  of  times  seen  his 
hopes  thus  defeated,  and  had  waged  such  long 
and  baf9ing  warfare  against  the  whole  tribe  of 
worms  in  general,  that  his  thoughts  had  taken 
a  melancholy  cast,  while  his  highest  flights  of 
fancy  were  m^re  or  less  sobered   by  his   tiny 
enemies.     But  he  was  something  of   a  philoso- 
pher ;  the  long  sunny  hours  spent  among  flowers 
and  fruits  the  summer  through,  were  fertile  in 
suggestions  to  his  mind ;  the  solitude  gave  him 
time  for  reflection,  the  tender  ministries  of  nature 
appealed  to   his  imagination,   so  that  while  he 
buried   his   seeds  and  afterward  watched  them 
develop  into  such  varied  and  beautiful  forms,  he 
had  liis  own  thoughts,  mostly  inarticulate,  but 
with  an  underflow  of  beauty  in  them  that  often 
made  his  heart  very  glad,  he  scarce  could  ex- 
plain  why. 

He  had  a  wife,  three  boys  and  two  girls,  who 
were  the  special  delight  of  his  heart.  Look- 
ing in  their  bright  faces  he  could  fancy  himself 
back  once  more  with  his  own  brothers  and  sisters 
on  the  Scottish  hills  where  his  boyhood  was  spent. 


THE  PINES. 


18 


Often  wMe  he  waa  busy  thinking  of  those  vanished 
years  aad  faces,  he  would  break  into  singing  some 
favorite  psalm,  making  the  illusion  more  com- 
plete.    He  was  not  much  of  a  talker;  probably 
for  that  reason  his  mind  was  more  active ;  but 
he  was  an  unusually  contented  man,  for  his  world 
was  wide,  and  he  went  far  afield  on  peaceful  ex- 
cursions  while  his  body  was  still  in  the  old  garden. 
He  lived  much  more  in  the  past  than  is  usual  with 
people  in  this  busy  age,  and  had  therefore  with 
him,  about  his  daily  tasks,  the  haunting  presence 
of  those  who  had  long  since  forsaken  the  body, 
and  were,  for  that  very  reason,  nearer  to  him; 
their  presence  more  vividly  realized  than  if  they 
still  occupied  a  place  on  the  earth.     Dear  hands 
often  clasped  his  as  he  paused  in  his  labors; 
voices  low  and  sweet,  which  only  his  spirit  could 
strain  to  hear,  revealed  to  him  thpughts  of  unut- 
terable love  and  sweetness  from  far-off  realms 
which  no  living  man  has  ever  visited. 

He  was  in  fairly  comfortable  circumatances— 
more  so  perhaps  than  many  a  millionaire ;  his 
little  mistress  — for  the  owner  of  the  Pines 
was  scarcely  more  than  a  child  —  insisted  on  his 
making  use  of  aU  the  fruits  and  vegetables  his 
household  might  require  trom  her  gardens  free 
of  charge;   his  wi<p  w^  a  thrifty  woman,  who 


.V^iW.JW***  tTfttrn' 


t 


THE  PINKS. 


could  make  a  maa  comfortable  on  a  very  tmy 
income  if  need  required.     He  was  ambitious  to 
give  all  his  children  as  good  schooling  as  was 
possible,  but,  with  his  inborn  Scottish  instinct, 
one  of  his  lads  was  destined  to  have  a  university 
training,  to  become  ultimately  a  preacher  of  the 
Gospel,  if  possible.     With  this  end  in  view,  he 
studied  each  little  lad  intently  as  they  came  droj^ 
ping  into  the  warm  home  nest.     The  brightest  and 
Lndsomest  was  to  be  given  to  this  work,  for  in 
the  heroic  days  of  old,  when  the  tabernacle  of 
the  Lord  was  visibly  present  among  men,  the 
priests  caUed  to  minister  in  holy  things  must  be 
free  from  blemish -the  best  representatives  of 

their  species.  ,         ,       j 

He  liked  good  books,  and  could  read  under- 
standingly  the  writings  of  profound  thinkers ;  but 
for  practical,  every-day  wisdom  he  came  to  the 
Bible  for  guidance.     He  read  the  prophet  Dan- 
iel's account  of  the  biU  of  fare  on  which  he 
and  the  other  two  Hebrew  youths  throve  so  well, 
and  substituting  the  coarser  grain  of  our  country 
for  the  pulse  of  Babylon,  he  had  his  boys  trained 
hardily  to  enjoy  their  oaten  cake  or  pomdge 
twice  a  day,  his  fatherly  regard  for  his  chddren 
overcommg  his  Scripture  belief  far  enough  to 
aUow  them  to  share  the  savory  dmners  com- 


S 


THE  FINB8. 


16 


pounded  out  of  meat  and  vegetables.  The  diet 
agreed  with  them,  for  they  sUpped  so  easUy 
through  the  custonuiry  diaorders  jf  childhood 
their  mother  was  astonished  to  ind  that  they 
scarcely  lost  a  meal's  victuals  wiva  any  of  the 
maUidies  that  well-regukted  youths  take  in  turn, 
before  they  complete  their  teens. 

There  was  an  exoeUent  library  at  the  Pines, 
and  when  his  day's  work  was  done,  the  gardener 
used  to  wipe  his  feet  more  carefully  than  usual 
on  the  mat  at  the  door,  and  proceed  direct  to  the 
Ubrary  to  make  his  selection,  which  he  did  with  a 
care  that  was  very  astonishing  to  Angela,  the 
little  mistress  of  th^  house,  who  liked  to  watch 
him  among  the  books.      He  knew  and  loved 
nearly  all  the  scores  and  hundreds  of  books 
ranged  on  those  shelves  ;  some  of  them  were  old 
and  musty,  others  in  handsome  bindings,  but  he 
was  never  influenced  by  the  clothes  they  wore, 
for  he  would  as  often  pass  out  of  the  dusky  room 
with  some  old  book  pressed  tenderly  under  his 
arm,  printed  by  hands  long  since  mouldered  into 

dust. 

He  was  not  one  of  those  indolent  readers  who 
merely  skim  over  sentences,  but  he  tried  to  as- 
simikte  them  by  making  them  a  part  of  his  own 
private  stores.    H  .tl^e  Jbook  was  worth  reading 


M 


ittufyrm 


16 


THE  pnmsB. 


at  aU  he  believed  it  would  pay  to  linger  over  it ; 
some  of  the  volumes  on  those  shelves  had  been 
read  so  many  times  he  could  well-nigh  have  pro- 
duced the  author's  words  if  the  book  had  been 
destroyed.     His   wife  liked  to   hear  him   read 
aloud,  and   in    the   long   winter   evenings  her 
needles  gleamed  to  the  rhythm  of  some  fine  poem 
or  fascinating  history,  for  she  preferred  these  to 
the  abstract  speculations  of  theologians  or  philoso- 
phers.    Many  a  warm  stocking  had  been  fash- 
ioned as  her  busy  fancy  followed  the  fate  of  some 
great  warrior^  or  statesman  in  battle,  or  court 
intrigue,  while  for  the  time  being  their  narrow 
room  widened  into  a  pakce,  or  great  battle  field, 
and  their  humble  round  of  life  became  a  part  of 
some   nation's  history.      The  children  as  they 
grew  older  used  to  plead  that  their  bedtime  hour 
be  postponed  in  order  to  listen,  for  their  father 
talked  so  much  to  them  of  these  characters  who 
had  directed  a  nation's  fate  they  felt  as  if  they 
almost  had  a  claim  of  kin  upon  them ;  but  it  was 
a  part  of  his  theory  for  the  wise  upbringing  of 
his  children  to  send  them  early  to  bed,  so  that 
when  the  old  clock  wheeaed  out  eight  the  Bible 
was  brought  for  worship,  and  they  were  sent  to 
bed.     The  house  was  small  and  well  supplied 
with  craoka,  the  father's  voice  was  deep  and 


s 


THB  vansa. 


17 


dear,  and  ihe  boys  had  acute  hearing,  so  that 
often  the  story  of  battle  and  heroism  went  on 
long  after  the  father  thought  they  were  asleep. 

There  was  Archie,  Andrew  and  Donald,  Jessie 
and  Agnes.  Donald  had  met  with  an  accident 
when  he  was  little  more  than  a  baby,  which  had 
left  him  a  trifle  lame  for  life.  It  had  been  a 
bitter  grief  to  the  father,  for  he  believed  the 
little  lad  was  originally  intended  for  the  David 
of  his  flock,  chosen  like  the  prophet  king  of 
Israel  to  fill  the  high  office  for  which,  in  his  own 
counsels,  one  of  his  sons  was  destined;  but  no 
matter  how  clever  the  boy  was  naturally,  it  was 
far  from  his  thoughts  to  offer  to  God  the  lame  of 
his  flock.  In  his  own  mind  he  had  decided  to  ap- 
prentice him  to  a  tailor  when  he  was  old  enough. 

But  Donald  passed  through  these  early  days 
of  youth  unconscious  of  the  fate  in  store  for 
him,  and  had  his  own  special  work  mapped  out 
for  himself  long  before  most  boys  of  his  age 
have  begun  to  give  a  v  nous  thought  to  their 
special  calling.  He  would  sit  for  hours  watch- 
ing intently  insects  and  creeping  things  generally, 
at  their  busineHs,  and  could  have  cried  sometimes 
that  his  hearing  was  not  acute  enough,  and  his 
knowledge  of  their  languid  was  so  limited  that 
he  could  not  nnderstftnd  them.    The  ants  more 


S 


* 


18 


THE  PIHBB' 


"*te.^' 


■".tS^4tdfflere»ay  hi.  eager  i^V 
tions  oi  auj  "  _„„i..,-a  tiiat  for  hiB  own 

looked  upon  "  another  phase  oi  •» 

One  day  Denald  learned  that  Mom  i»" 

errand,  but  now  aa  n«  i~  ^ 

ting  mysterie.  of  bug  """T"  "^  ^^^  fate 
book.  ".igl;t  thro,  upon  ^"^  '^^  ^^.^ 
to  hi.  hand  and  went  "  "«^  »  ^  ^fct 

tiou  he  de.ired  «.  hungnly.    He  h^ '       |^„ 
^^^la.the.j^nj^t.^;^*.^'^^^ 

^tli  snow. 


THB  PIKES. 


19 


He  went  to  the  front  door,  his  heart  thumj^g 
loudly  enongh  it  seemed  to  him  for  any  one  in 
the  house  to  hear,  without  the  necessity  for  him 
to  use  the  bright  knocker  that  he  was  not  quite 
sure  how  he  was  to  operate.    While  he  waited 
for  a  few  seconds  to  get  some  of  his  scattered 
self-control  collected,  he  was  overjoyed  to  see  the 
little  maiden  come  around  the  house  with  her 
hands  full  of  flowers.     He  hurried  down  the 
steps  greatly  relieved  that  he  had  not  knocked, 
for  if  the  housekeeper  had  come  to  the  door  ex- 
pecting to  see  the  minister  or  some  grown  up 
person,  it  was  just  within  the  possibilities  that 
she  might  box  his  ears. 

"Were  you  trying  to  get  in  the  house?" 
Angela  asked  when  he  came  to  her  side  and 
stood  looking  very  much  like  a  culprit. 

"  Would  you  lend  me  a  book  that  tells  about 
bugs  and  things?" 

His  heart  felt  lighter  as  soon  as  he  had  spoken, 
while  the  blood  that  had  been  about  his  head  and 
neck  in  superfluous  quantities  began  to  settle 
back  in  its  accustomed  channels. 

"  What  a  funny  sort  of  book  that  would  be  ; 
nobody  surely  could  find  out  enough  about  them 
to  make  into  a  book." 

"  Yes,  they  could  ;*y9whave  no  idea  how  much 


\ 


#: 


2a 


THB  PUnSBi 


they  know  and  how  smart  they  are.  But  wiU 
you  let  me  havo  the  book?    I  won't  hurt  it.  ^ 

AngeU  looked  at  him  intently,  the  pleading 
expression  of  his  face  forcing  back  the  merry 
words  that  were  on  her  lips. 

"  Do  you  reaUy  care  enough  to  waste  your 
time  reading  about  them?" 

u  It's  not  a  waste ;  I'd  rather  read  about  them 

than  anything." 

«  Would  you  mind  helping  to  hunt  for  it  ? 
I  do  not  know  if  there  is  such  a  queer  book 
in  the  library.  I  do  not  think  my  papa  oared 
for  such  small  animals." 
•  « I  wish  you  could  see  them  as  I  have,  you  d 
think  for  their  size  they  were  ahead  of  most 

everybody."  , 

Donald  was  brightening  up  unexpectedly,  for 
he  felt  sure  that  among  such  quantities  of  books 
as  his  father  said  there  were  in  that  Ubrary, 
there  would  be  at  least  one  about  those  dever 
Uttle  creatures  that  buUt  their  own  houses,  and 
made  excavations  that  a  practical  engmeer  might 

copy  to  advantage.  ,        * 

"We  will  go  in  and  I  will  show  you  how  to 

read  the  backs  of  the  books,  and  I  will  help  you 

look."     She  looked  regretfully  at  the  flowers; 

»he  had  picked  them  for  a  special  purpose  and  it 


I- 


THB  PIKES. 


21 


WM  Bomothing  of  a  denial  to  lay  t^  9m  aside  in 
order  to  gratify  a  boy'a  foolish  whim. 

They  went  in  at  the  front  door,  Donald  look- 
ing around  him  with  a  mixture  of  admiration 
and  awe  that  Angela  did  not  notice.  The  house 
looked  very  plain  and  old-fashioned  to  her,  but 
to  Donald  it  was  a  revelation  of  beauty,  for  he 
had  nothing  in  his  experience  with  which  to  com- 
pare it,  save  his  own  humble  home  or  neighbor* 
ing  cottages,  equally  simple  in  adornment  and 
arcb'teoture.  They  went  through  the  dimly 
lighted  parlor,  a  large  room  whose'  walls  were 
covered  with  pictures,  and  brackets  on  which 
were  ranged  bronse  statuary,  old  Worcester  and 
Wedgewood  ware,  that  had  oome  across  the  sea 
two  generations  ago,  with  Parian  and  other  ex- 
quisite vases  and  busts  that  in  some  mysterious 
way  touched  the  lad's  poetic  nature.  He  foigot 
his  errand  as  he  stood  gazing  about  wistfully, 
Angela,  meanwhile,  watching  him  curiously. 

'*Do  you  like  old  4iings?"  she  asked  at  last. 

"Are  these  old?" 

"  Yes ;  nearly  everything  here  is  very  old ;  my 
grandmamma  had  them  when  she  was  married, 
and  some  of  them  were  old  when  she  got  them. 
I  like  new  things ;  these  make  me  melancholy." 

**I  would  liked  »t^  have  had  a,  grandmother 


4' 


29 


THE  PIKBB. 


like  that ;  these  are  better  than  new  thbgs ;  they 
make  me  think  of  "  —  he  stopped  abruptly. 

**  What  do  they  make  you  think  of  ?  "  Angela 
asked. 

"  I  cannot  just  tell  you,  only  it  seems  as  if  I 
had  lived  among  such  things  long  ago.  I  have 
the  same  feeling  sometimes  when  I  am  watching 
the  bugs ;  as  if  I  knew  a  great  deal  about  them 
away  down  in  my  heart  —  had  known  it,  but 
forgot."  He  turned  away  as  if  half-angry  with 
himself  for  making  the  confession. 

**  What  an  odd  boy  you  afe.  I  never  have 
such  thoughts;  but  I  wish  that  you  had  my 
grandmother  for  yours,  too,  then  when  we  are 
grown  up  you  might  have  all  these  things  and  I 
could  get  new  ones ;  but  I  cannot  give  them  away 
to  strangers,  because  my  papa  said  they  were 
heirlooms,  and  I  must  keep  them  to  give  my  chil- 
dren if  I  ever  have  any — you  know  I  am  the 
last  one  ti  a  very  old  family;  papa  told  me 
once  we  were  an  ancient  family  when  we  joined 
the  Crusades.  Such  things  are  very  tiresome ;  I 
would  so  much  rather  be  a  new  family  and  not 
know  if  I  had  any  one  behind  me  but  my  father 
and  mother."  Angela  looked  around  at  the  por> 
traits  on  the  wall  gazing  down  at  her,  and  turned 
to  lead  the  way  into  the  library. 


all 
ph 
saj 
on( 

bei 
got 
pai 
the 
hou 
size 
nei 
anj 
< 

tint 

brc 

of 

wo 

wii 

nai 

eac 

th< 

an; 

is 

doJ 


THB  PIHBB. 


B 

i 

a 

it 
h 

re 

»y 

re 
I 

»y 
ire 
lil- 
ho 
me 
led 

;  I 

not 
her 
M>r- 
aed 


**  You  may  oome  here  sometime  when  they  are 
all  away  and  look  at  everything  a«  long  as  you 
please.  Lindsay  don't  like  boys  around  —  she 
says  they  are  a  nuisance ;  but  I  don't  think  nice 
ones  are." 

There  was  a  curtained  recess  formed  of  a 
beautiful  piece  of  tapestry  made  by  some  long 
gone  ancestress  of  Angela's,  which  led  from  the 
parlor  into  the  library.  The  two  rooms  occupied 
the  whole  of  one  side  of  the  lower  story  of  the 
house,  making  them,  because  of  their  unusual 
size,  seem  like  a  church  to  the  boy  who  had 
never,  with  those  deep,  curious  eyes  of  his,  seen 
anything  like  it  before. 

**  These  are  the  books.  It  will  take  us  a  long 
time  to  go  over  them.  If  yon  were  only  my 
brother  or  cousin  now  you  could  have  the  most 
of  them."  She  spoke  regretfully;  plainly  she 
would  have  felt  it  a  relief  to  share  her  belongings 
with  this  penniless  lad.  "  I  wonder  what  the 
name  of  the  book  will  be.  Papa  always  kept 
each  kind  of  books  by  themselves ;  we  can  skip 
theology  and  poetry,  for  they  can't  possibly  have 
anything  to  do  with  bugs  and  such  things.  Now 
is  there  anything  else  we  might  skip? "  she  asked 
doubtfully. 

Certainly  there^  is  ;^  history  and  astronomy 


.  •  » 


24 


THE  PINES. 


and  everything  in  graminwr  and  arithmetio," 
Donald  said  encouragingly,  his  eyei  roeanwhil* 
devouring  the  great  loadetl  book  ahelvee. 

*'  Dear  me  I  what  a  tiresome  world  it  is ;  one 
can  never  get  to  the  end  of  learning.  Do  you 
like  to  study  ?  "  Angela  asked. 

«'  Yes,  if  I  could  study  the  right  kind  of  things ; 
but  they  make  you  keep  going  over  what  has  no 
sense  in  it  so  much  of  the  time,  and  what  you 
would  lik(^  best  to  be  learning  about  they  never 
teach  you  at  all." 

**  I  don't  care  much  to  learn  about  anything. 
I  like  to  feed  animals  and  make  folks  happy, 
especially  children;  and  I  like  to  visit  poor 
people  and  take  them  nice  things  to  eat ;  but  there 
are  so  few  around  here.  I  think  it  is  a  great 
waste  of  time  to  make  all  of  us  study ;  now  I 
would  be  satisfied  to  know  how  to  read  and  write 
and  do  my  own  accounts,  and  have  enough  geog- 
raphy and  grammar  to  do  me  nicely ;  but  I 
would  never  touch  music,  or  painting,  or  the 
languages  only  my  own,  and  those  tiresome 
sciences ;  but  they  teU  me  I  must  do  them  be- 
cause of  my  position ;  and  so  I  sit  moping  in  the 
schoolroom  with  my  governess  when  I  would  be 
so  much  better  out  of  doors  helping  things  and 
people  to  be  happy."     She  sighed  wearily ;  bow 


B9a 


THK  PINM. 


35 


happy  ahe  might  have  been  —  according  to  her 
own  Tiew  of  life  —  in  one  of  thoie  isUntls  lying 
amid  the  summer  seaa,  where  the  children  have 
no  knowledge  of  the  torturing  pains  that  growth 
of  knowledge  caiuet. 

«'  If  the  teacher  waa  any  good  I  wonld  rather 
go  to  school  than  do  anything ;  but  our  teacher  it 
a  girl,  and  she  don't  know  much  more  than  a  cow 
about  what  is  worth  knowing,  except  a  little 
book  knowledge,  like  arithm«)tio  and  grammar. 
Why,  she  screamed  when  I  showed  her  a  great 
beauty  of  a  beetle,  and  scolded  me  for  bringing 
it  to  school  in  my  pocket.  What's  the  good  of 
such  women  to  teach  boys  I  "        ' 

**  I  don't  like  beetles  either,"  Angela  said. 

*«Not  the  great  striped  ones  an  inch  long?" 
Donald  asked  incredulously. 

*♦  Well,  no ;  the  bigger  they  are  the  more  nasty 
they  seem." 

"  I  guess  girls  never  amount  to  much ;  they  are 
only  good  to  look  at." 

Donald  gazed  with  a  mixture  of  admiration 
and  contempt  at  his  girl  friend  as  he  spoke, 
meanwhile  wondering,  no  doubt,  why  the  Lord 
made  them  so  simple,  and  yet  so  beautiful,  for 
Angela  was  certainly  a  very  fair  specimen  of 
girlhood.  ,       , 


-'¥' 


A  ■  c*. 


THE  PINKS. 

'  They  are  made  for  a  great  deal  more  than  to 
be  looked  at.  I  don't  think  you  would  be  much  if 
it  hadn't  been  for  your  mother,  and  she  grew  out 
of  a  girl  —  women  are  just  girls  ripened." 
Angela  began  her  defense  angrily,  but  her  sunny 
temper  gained  the  mastery,  and  her  sentence 
ended  with  a  smile.  "  We  won't  argue  ab^mt  it 
any  longer,  but  look  instead  for  your  book. 
Lindsay  may  be  in  presently,  and  she  thinks 
boys  are  not  much." 

"  Why  don't  you  g?t  a  better-natured  woman  ?  " 

"  Papa  told  me  always  to  keep  Lindsay.  She 
was  housekeeper  here  before'  my  mamma  came. 
I  am  the  only  baby  she  ever  hat     ^  her  own." 

"  You  weren't  her  baby." 

"  Yes ;  she  took  care  of  me  ever  since  I  was 
born.  My  mamma  never  saw  me,  and  I  never 
saw  her  —  only  her  picture.  Won't  you  come 
and  see  it?  you  will  think  she  was  good  for 
something." 

"  Yes  ;  if  you  want  me  to  I  will  look  at  her ; 
but  I  don't  care  much  for  womenkind,  they  are 
frightened  of  everything." 

"  I  am  not  easily  frightened." 

♦'  Will  you  come  with  me  some  day  and  watch 
the  bugs?"  Donald  asked  eagerly. 

"  Yes ;  if  you  want  me  to  very  much.' 


A 


iSsi-f 


S 


I 


^c^ 


THE  PIKB8. 


27 


She  spoke  heeitatinglj. 

«  You  will  be  sure  to  like  it  if  onoe  you  got  to 
know  them ;  no  one  seems  to  understand  about 
them,  and  I'd  be  gM  if  you  would." 

"  I  will  try,"  she  said  faintly. 

They  had  re-entered  the  parlor,  and  were  stand- 
ing before  a  massive  gilt  frame  that  inclosed  a 
face  and  form  beautiful  enough  to  have  responded 
to  an  angel's  name. 

♦'  That  is  my  mother." 

Donald  stood  silently  looking  at  the  picture 
after  Angela  had  spoken.  New  thoughts  were 
working  swiftly  in  his  keen  brain.  It  was  a 
revelation  to  him  —  this  sweet  vision  of  woman- 
hood which  the  artist  had  caught  and  idealized. 

"I  did  not  know  flesh  and  bones  could  be 
made  up  to  look  like  that;  your  father  must 
have  felt  awfully  to  have  her  go  away  from  him 

forever." 

"  It  was  only  for  ten  years,  then  he  followed 
her.  Just  when  he  was  between  the  two  worlds 
he  looked  up  so  brightly ;  as  if  he  saw  something 
that  made  him  so  glad ;  and  then  he  said, '  Angela 

my  wife.'    My  parents  were  both  the  real  sort 

of  Christians,  so  Lindsay  says,  that  one  never 
has  any  doubts  about.' 

Donald  turned  abruptly  away.    Angeb  chanced 


« 


\ 


28 


to  look  at  him  after  the  book  hunting  had  begun, 
and  saw  tears  in  his  eyes.  From  that  moment  a 
new  bond  of  union  sprang  up  between  ihem. 
The  search  for  the  book  after  that  went  on 
diligently,  but  it  failed  to  turn  up  ;  at  nightfall 
they  ceased,  but  Angela  invited  him  to  come  the 
next  day,  which  he  promised  to  do,  and  then  he 
went  away  with  a  world  of  new  thoughts  in  his 
heart. 


iiii.Tlin-«igria 


':..  .' 


CHAPTER  II. 


ANOELA. 


The  book  so  greatly  desired  by  the  boj  natn- 
ralist  was  certainly  on  those  shelves,  and  not  one 
book  alone,  but  several;  while  near  whero  he 
stood  during  part  of  his  search,  was  a  cabinet 
that  would  have  thrilled  his  soul  much  as  a  splen- 
did painting  or  sublime  harmony  might  have 
done  the  boyish  hearts  of  Raphael  or  Beethoven. 

Angela's  grandfather  had  been  a  dilettante  in 
several  thingps,  bugs  and  insects  being  one  of  his 
amusements.  He  had  found  in  his  own  searches 
in  many  climes  some  nne  specimens;  others  he 
had  secured  in  other  ways,  but  a  specimen  once 
procured  had  never  been  lost,  and  that  sunny 
summer  afternoon  when  the  boy  and  girl  stood 
in  the  cool,  shaded  room,  those  hundreds  of 
creeping  things  looked  just  as  fresh  and'  well 
preserved  as  they  did  seventy  years  before,  so 
long  outlasting  the  hands  that  imprisoned  them. 


;1ii 


80 


ANQBLA. 


But  neither  Donald  nor  Angela  was  aware  of 
what  that  ebony  cabinet  contained;  the  key  of  it 
was  one  of  many  on  a  ring  that  lay  in  a  secret 
drawer  of  her  father's  desk,  and  she  was  pos- 
sessed uf  such  an  incurious  nature  respecting  the 
treasures  of  a  past  generation  that  she  had  never 
turned  a  single  key ;  indeed  she  shrank  from  ex- 
huming these  locked-up  relics  of  the  past ;  prob- 
ably a  general  destruction  by  fire  of  the  entire 
house  would  have  been  something  of  relief  to 
her. 

The  twilight  was  filling  the  room  with  shadows 
the  second  day,  and  Donald's  courage  was  be- 
ginning to  fail  along  with  Angela's  patience,  for 
she  found  it  very  tiresome  going  over  the  long 
names  on  the  backs  of  the  books,  while  she  was 
too  tender-hearted  to  leave  the  lad  alone  in  that 
room  so  full  to  her  of  haunting  shadows ;  at  the 
same  time  she  kept  wearily  speculating  upon  what 
could  have  possessed  so  many  people  in  other  days 
to  waste  so  much  good  time  in  bookwriting.  She 
had  come  herself  of  a  scholarly,  cultured  race, 
but  somehow  her  little  personality  had  been 
caught  in  the  rebound,  and  by  some  means  or 
other  she  was  free  from  the  slightest  morbid 
taint  of  literary  ambition.  To  be  amid  the 
activities  of  life,  cheering  the  sorrowful  and  mak- 


s 


.  ife.- 


ing  still  happier  the  glad-hearted,  was  her  delight ; 
while  she  scarcely  gave  a  thought  as  to  whether 
she  would  be  remembered  a  month  or  ten  cent- 
uries after  her  eyes  dosed  eternally  on  earthly 
things.  To  make  the  very  best  of  each  passing  day, 
without  worrying  about  the  future  or  regretting 
the  deeds  of  the  past,  was  her  instinctive  habit. 
Whether  this  was  a  desirable  frame  of  mind  to 
possess  each  one  must  decide  for  himself.  An 
exclamation  of  passionate  delight  from  Donald 
startled  her. 

*«What  is  it?"  she  asked,  hastening  to  his 
side. 

"  Just  look  at  these  beauties  I  "  The  boy  had 
carried  the  book  to  the  deep  window  seat,  and 
was  bending  over  it  with  dilating  eyes.  "  I  did 
not  know  there  were  such  glorious  creatures  ia 
the  world,"  he  cried. 

Angela  stooped  down  to  gain  a  better  look, 
but  turned  away  with  an  exclamation  of  disgust. 

"  Do  you  call  those  dreadful  things  glorious  ?  " 
she  asked.  "  They  are  perfectly  — hideous."  She 
hesitated  a  moment  b^ore  finishing  the  sentence ; 
Donald  was  so  charmed  with  his  discovery  she 
hardly  liked  to  criticise  the  creatures  too  severely, 
but  he  was  too  much  absorbed  in  them  to  heed 
her  criticisms. 


— '  ■JTCji).iMW'ggr>^eil'*Jg-'»'?iiW'J''-"j'l'*  ' 


';!idi>'i«i^Mi*iiSw»ii"i*'^"'*fe*-'jwJ"iJi"i«"Ji" 


82 


ANGELA. 


He  turned  back  preaently  to  the  shelf.     ••  This 

b  the  third  volume;  there  must  be  otheni  here." 

"  What  can  they  have  found  in  those  crawling 

things  to  write  three  great  books  about?*'  she 

asked  half-angrily. 

The  library  was  growing  so  dutAcy  in  the  more 
distant  spaces  that  Angela  was  getting  slightly 
nervous  there  alone  with  Donald.  He  soon 
found  the  missing  volumes,  and  glancing  rue- 
fully at  the  handsome  binding  he  said  anxiously  : 
"  Should  you  care  if  I  took  all  three  of  them  ? 
I  don't  know  how  I  could  wait  till  to-morrow 
afternoon  to  see  them  all." 

"Why,  certainly  you  can  take  them  all; 
I  think  you  have  earned  them  pretty  dearly.  I 
will  go  with  you  and  carry  one  of  them  until  we 
get  out  of  sight  of  the  house.  If  Lindsay  saw 
you  she  might  take  two  of  them ;  she  is  so  care- 
ful  of  everything  papa  left  me." 

Donald  sped  down  the  meadow  path  so  swiftly 
Angela  found  some  difficulty  in  keeping  pace 
with  him.  "  Your  lameness  doesn't  hinder  you 
getting  over  the  ground  pretty  fast,"  she  panted 
at  last,  considerably  out  of  breath. 

"Oh!  my  lameness  doesn't  amount  to  any- 
thing. One  leg  is  just  a  little  shorter  than  the 
other,  that's  alL" 


# 


'^; 


▲KOBLA. 


'OW 


ftly 
lace 
you 
ited 

my. 
the 


He  spoke  with  a  sublime  iadifference  about 
his  misfortune.  A  few  inches  more  or  less 
of  bone  and  tissue  were  hardly  worth  mention, 
ing  when  he  had  those  three  volumes  in  his 
possession. 

"  Your  father,  though,  is  very  sorry  about  it. 
He  was  going  to  make  you  a  scholar  and  preacher 
if  it  hadn't  been'for  that." 

"  He  make  me  a  preacher,"  he  echoed  indig- 
nantly ;  « it  is  only  the  Lord  who  can  do  that 
I  would  never  be  a  man-made  preacher;  I'd  be 
a  tailor  first,  and  sit  on  a  bench  and  sew,  like  a 
woman." 

"Your  father  told  me  he  was  going  to  appren- 
tice you  to  a  tailor.  He  says  it  is  a  very  good 
way  to  make  a  living,  and  tailors  sometimes  get 
rich." 

" I  don't  want  to  be  rich;  I  mean  to  study  all 
my  life,  and  find  out  about  things.  I  can  build 
a  cabin  in  the  woods,  and  raise  what  I  i^uit  to 
eat ;  no  man  shall  make  me  a  tailor." 

"  Perhaps  if  I  talk  to  your  father  he  won't  in- 
sist on  it ;  he  generally  does  things  I  want  him 
to."     Angela  tried  to  speak  ccmsolingly. 

"  You  only  ask  him  to  uo  things  for  you,  and 
it  is  his  duty  to  please  you,  but  this  is  different." 

"  You  shall  not  be  a  ^ailoj,  and  if  you  want  to 


'"sm«mia«Mp'i|«vu««i  ^NUHHiiuwiWfil 


w 


1 

1 

J 

ia 

L 

84 


ANGELA. 


yoa  may  study  all  your  life."  She  spoke  with 
a  vehemence  unusual  to  her.  Through  his  un- 
covered soul  she  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  such 
dismay  and  grief  mirrored  in  those  deep,  hasel 
eyes,  that  all  her  oombativeness  was  roused,  and 
for  the  first  time  in  her  life  she  realised  how 
grand  it  was  to  have  power.  ^  If  Donald  loved 
books  as  well  as  she  loved  sunshine  and  compan- 
ionship of  birds  and  flowers  and  human  beings, 
how  cruel  it  would  be  to  force  him. away  from 
these  just  to  make  money,  especially  when  he  was 
content  to  live  so  simply  in  a  little  republic  of 
his  own,  liKb  those  grand  old  heathen  that  she 
had  been  compelled  to  study  about.  Maybe 
some  day  in  the  far,  lonely  future,  children  at 
school  might  be  studying  about  Donald.  A  new 
thought  came :  Mightn't  it  be  an  act  of  cruelty 
to  add  anything  further  to  the  burdens  already 
awaiting  those  unborn  children,  since  there  were 
already  entirely  too  many  things  for  them  to 
learn  about?  She  thought  the  matter  over  as 
they  stood  leaning  against  the  fence. 

"  Should  you  be  likely  to  write  books  if  you 
get  the  chance  to  study  ?  "  she  asked  anxiously. 

"I  might.  One  never  knows  what  thoughts 
may  come  to  them  when  they  give  themselves  up 
entirely  to  thinkirg." 


ASQKLA. 


u 


with 


**  I  think  there  are  plenty  of  books  now,  nnd 
it  seems  a  great  pity  to  have  many  more  great 
men  for  poor  children  to  have  to  study  about. 
In  a  thousand  years  more  if  people  keep  on  be- 
ing celebrated  it  will  be  just  too  dreadful  for 
them.  I  am  very  glad  I  have  been  sent  here  so 
soon.  I  would,  if  I  oould  have  had  my  choice, 
have  come  about  four  thousand  years  ago.  It 
must  have  been  lovely  then  for  children,  for 
they  lived  out  of  doors  most  of  the  time,  and  I 
can't  seem  to  find  out  much  about  girls  going 
to  school  in  those  days." 

"  But  if  your  mind  was  full  of  thoughts,  and 
some  of  them  which  no  one  had  eves  thought 
of  before  shouldn't  you  want  to  keep  them  in  the 
world?" 

"  I  am  never  troubled  with  such  thoughts,  and 
I  think  there  are  a  great  plenty  of  written  thoughts 
already ;  but,  Donald,  I  will  help  ybu.  I  shall 
be  a  woman  before  your  books  get  written,  so  I 
won't  have  to  read  them;  and  the  children  in 
those  times  must  just  look  out  for  themselves." 

With  this  comforting  promise  Angela  gave 
Donald  the  book  and  said  good-night.  He 
rushed  home,  and  with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction 
that  an  aged  Sybarite  might  envy,  sat  down  by 
the  evening  lamp,  and  in  the  few  short  moments 


•  •  • 


..       : 


I' 


86 


ANOSLA. 


before  bedtime  came,  learned  more  than  many  a 
boy  of  his  ag«.  *bo»e  heart  wa«  not  in  the  vork, 
would  have  done  in  a  month. 

Angela  kept  her  promise,  and  the  following 
morning  while  the  dew  lay  sparkling  on  blade 
and  leaf,  she  picked  her  way  carefully  along  the 
path  that  led  to  the  garden,  and  going  to  David 
opened  out  on  the  subject  with  charming  direct- 
ness. Her  father  had  trained  her  to  a  transpar- 
ent openness  of  character,  so  that  it  was  simply 
impossible  for  her  to  go  about  anything  in  an 
indirect  way. 

"  I  want  you  to  let  Donald  be  a  student.  You 
must  never  ask  him  to  be  a  tailor."  There  was 
an  unconscious  imperiousness  about  her  speech 
that  nettled  the  elderly  man  whom  she  addressed. 
«'You  must  remember,  Miss  Angela,  that 
Donald  belongs  to  me.  Your  authority  over  me 
ends  at  your  -gate." 

"  But,  Warden,  don't  I  belong  to  you,  too  ?  " 
she  pleaded,  all  her  natural  softness  of  manner 
coming  back  to  her.  "  You  have  always  called 
me  your  little  maid." 

"  Well,  yes  ;  especially  since  your  father  died 
yon  have  seemed  as  near  to  me,  I  believe,  as  one 
of  my  own  ;  at  least  I  would  defend  your  life  or 
character  the  same  as  my  own."    Ho  was  not 


■'^'. 


AMOBLA. 


87 


proof  against  her  blandishmento ;   in  fact  few 

were. 

"  And  you  know  I  am  ju«t  a»  much  interested 
in  your  getting  on  well  as  if  you  were  my  own 
father." 

♦*  I  know  that  you  are  as  kind  to  me  as  if  you 
were  my  child."  His  votoe  grew  husky,  for  this 
strong,  grare  man  loved  the  bright-haired,  gentle 
girl  deeply. 

♦•I  have  been  told  that  I  am  rich  —  hare  a 
great  many  thousands  of  dollars  laid  away  against 
I  come  of  age ;  now  I  want  to  educate  Donald. 
I  don't  like  studying  one  bit;  I  haven't  very 
many  brains  I  guess,  so  it  is  not  worth  my  while 
trying  to  be  great  when  it  is  not  in  me  to  be, 
and  if  you  would  give  me  Donald,  why,  he  could 
study  for  both  of  us  ;  and  you  have  no  idea  what 
a  relief  it  would  be  to  me.  He  can  come  every 
day  and  study  with  me  now.  I  heard  teacher 
say  the  other  day  she  was  just  rusting  out  for 
something  to  do,  and  she  is  a.  very  fine  scholar  — 
knows  as  much  as  a  man." 

There  was  no  resisting  the  pleading  eloquence 
in  those  lovely  eyes  that  looked  like  tiny  bits  of 
the  blue  sky  just  rain  washed  and  perfectly 
rlaar  and  pure.  David  worked  away  vigoroosly. 
Angek  noticed  that  he  was  destroying  other 


•  .  • 

f      f 


J^ 


M«a^ 


M 


88 


AKOBLA. 


thing*  than  the  weeds  with  bin  hoe,  bat  he  main" 
tainod  an  oniinouH  silence. 

"  Then  you  won't  do  it  for  me  ?  "  She  tpoke 
•orrowfuUy.  When,  to  her  vast  surprise,  she 
saw  a  teardrop  come  pattering  down  on  a  turnip 
leaf,  it  gave  her  great  encouragement,  and  she 
•tood  very  patiently  waiting  further  developments. 
He  cleared  his  throat  rather  tremulously  at  last, 
and  turning  his  face  persistently  in  an  opposite 
direction,  he  said  :  "  What  will  Longhurst  people 
lay  if  I  let  you  help  us  —  I  mean  if  we  let  Donald 
come  to  school  with  you  ?  If  he  is  to  be  a  scholar 
he  must  work  his  own  way  up  with  what  I  can 
do  for  him." 

"  Papa  never  cared  very  much  for  Longhurst, 
and  we  don't  really  live  there.  Longhurst  is  half 
a  mile  from  our  gate."  She  gave  a  little  cough. 
«•  My  feet  are  damp,  and  I  must  not  stay  here 
much  longer.  Say  you  will  let  Donald  come, 
and  I  will  go  right  down  ani  H  him  to  come  to 
school  to>-day." 

"  Wait  for  another  day  ;  I  must  think  it  over. 
You  do  not  understand,  my  child  ;  one  must  not 
do  anything  that  means  the  changing  of  an  entire 
life  at  a  few  moments'  notice." 

'''■  But  when  the  change  is  a  wise  one  it  is  right. 
To-morrow  you  will  let  Donald  come  ?  " 


f. 


AKOBLA.  OT 

"To-morrow  ia  8»tard»y;  from  wluU  lie  is 
flndin}(  in  tho«)  books  I  doubt  if  lie  won't  be 
spending  the  hours  from  dawn  to  sundown  in  the 
woods.  He  was  up  and  away  by  four  this  morn- 
ing, and  he  hadn't  oome  to  his  breakfast  when  I 
left" 

M And  yon  would  make  that  boy  a  tailor?  fie 
on  you  I  as  Lindsay  says  to  me  when  I  urn 
naughty.  I  believe  grown-up  people  aro  just  as 
willful  as  children."  With  which  rebellious  re- 
mark Angela  left  Wardell  to  his  own  reflections. 
But  they  were  not  painful  ones.  The  vista 
Angela  had  unconsciously  opened  to  him  that 
morning  led  out  farther  than  any  horisons  our 
earth  embraces. 

Long  ago  he  had  had  his  own  thoughts  about 
Donald's  strange  fancies ;  neither  was  he  so  ab- 
sorbed in  divinity  or  history  as  to  be  ignorant  of 
the  fact  that  many  a  lad  no  higher  in  the  social 
scale  than  a  gardener's  son  h^d  come  to  take  rank 
among  the  high  priests  of  literaturo  and  science, 
winning  a  name  far  outshining  the  princelings 
of  their  time ;  what  if  sotae  such  fate  awaited  his 
own  little  lad?  His  heart  gave  a  great  throb, 
and  for  a  few  seconds  he  stood  looking  up  into 
the  deep  blue  of  the  summer's  sky.  God  might 
accept  die  hd  he  had  so  longed  to  wmseorate  to 

•  t  • 

•  »  ( 


.■\     t-fl*; 


40 


ANGELA. 


him  for  other  service  than  that  of  preaching  to 
men  and  women ;  there  might  he  other  work  he 
wanted  the  kd  to  do.  Some  day  if  Donald  was 
permitted  to  take  his  own  way  in  the  special  work 
for  which  he  had  such  a  passionate  love,  he  might 
go  farther  into  God's  thoughts  in  that  one  branch 
of  creation  than  any  one  who  had  preceded  him ; 
some  day  in  the  far  future,  when  he  himself  had 
finished  the  life  work  with  which  he  had  been 
entrusted,  around  other  cottage  firesides  the 
story  of  Donald's  discoveries  might  be  repeated, 
his  struggles  and  triumphs  —  the  father's  name, 
too,  not  forgotten,  for  men  like  to  know  some- 
thing of  the  fathers  of  their  great  ones.  David, 
like  most,  had  the  desire  strong  within  him  to  be 
remembered  on  earth  long  after  he  had  ascended 
to  higher  scenes  and  employments. 

Hf  worked  that  day  in  a  dream,  pitying  the 
self  of  yesterday  which  had  not  known  the  possi- 
bilities awaiting  his  boy,  but  he  held  himself 
resolutely  to  the  duty  of  the  hour,  and  not  till  he 
heard  the  summons  of  the  dinner  horn  from  his 
own  doorway,  floating  unmusically  up  through 
the  fragrant  air,  did  he  lay  down  his  hoe  and 
make  the  possibility  an  assured  fact  by  going 
directly  to  Angela  and  accepting  her  generous 
offer.     He  was  hoping  to  find  her  out  in  the  rose 


:ij;ai3rf«a(KW  . 


\^.:^: 


ANGELA. 


41 


garden — one  of  her  favorito  haunts  —  so  that 
he  would  not  need  to  ask  for  an  interview  alone, 
or  else  speak  before  Lindsay,  but  Angela  being 
herself  in  a  somewhat  anxious  state  of  mind,  had 
got  excused  from  school  earlier  than  usual,  and 
was  hovering  around  outdoors  waiting  to  way- 
lay him. 

She  heard  him  coming,  and  concealing  her- 
self behind  a  great  rose  bush  lest  he  might 
take  another  course  in  order  to  avoid  her,  she 
waited  until  he  was  just  beside  her.  The  look 
of  satisfaction  on  his  face  when  she  stepped  out 
and  confronted  him  was  reassuring. 

"Have  you  been  thinking  any  more  about 
Donald?  "  she  asked  anxiously. 

"  I  have  thought  of  nothing  else  since  you  left 


She  interrupted  him,  afraid  to  hear  what  the 
outcome  of  so  much  thinking  might  be,  and 
anxious  to  intercede  still  further,  but  she  had 
scarcely  begun  to  speak  when  he  went  on  with  a 
solemnity  of  manner  that  was  a  trifle  alarming. 

"I  believe.  Miss  Angela,  the  good  God  put 
that  thought  into  your  heart.  It  has  seemed  to 
me  for  a  good  while  that  you  lived  nearer  to  the 
angels  and  the  King  himself,  than  most  of  us." 

"  Then  you  are  going  to  let  Donald  be  a  natu- 


* 


;*:,. 


"V        :* 


s^  ■ 


42 


ANGELA. 


ralist  ?    Miss  Buckingham  says  that  is  probably 
what  he  will  be." 

"  I  will  let  him  be  just  what  the  Lord  wants 
to  make  him.  Maybe  he  will  be  as  good  as  a 
preacher  some  day.  I  have  always  wanted  a  sou 
to  stand  in  the  pulpit  and  speak  the  thoughts  that 
were  too  deep  for  me  to  utter  —  to  be  a  grand 
minister  that  men  would  listen  to  with  reverence, 
and  flock  to  hear." 

'« I  think  probably  the  Lord  was  not  certain 
but  you  might  be  vain  of  such  a  son ;  you  know 
he  abhors  the  prond  heart  as  well  as  the  proud 
look." 

David  regarded  her  almost  reverently,  and 
then  turning  away  murmured  softly,  "A  little 
child  shall  lead  them." 

AngeU  followed  him. 

«' Won't  you  let  me  teU  Donald  first?"  she 
asked.  *'I  like  to  see  the  light  come  into  his 
eyes  when  he  is  very  glad." 

"  Yes  ;  you  may  toll  him,"  was  the  low-spokeo 
answer. 


#' 


^^^lw»LlJ^^lJ^l^i^■|»^a(Jw^i»»j^l^yte,lj^,^ 


CHAPTER  m. 


A  MKW  LIFS  BEGUN. 


I 


I 


Ths  hoors  wore  slowly  away  that  afternoon 
to  Angela.  It  was  a  genuine  pleasure  to  her  to 
go  down  to  the  Wardells'  cottage  at  any  time. 
There  was  a  homeliness  about  the  bright,  dean 
rooms  that  she  fancied  did  not  exist  to  the  same 
degree  anywhere  else  upon  earth,  and  an  hour 
spent  there  left  her  both  glad  and  sad.  She 
would  very  cheerfully  have  exchanged  her  own 
large,  richly  furnished  abode,  so  melancholy  and 
lonely  as  it  was,  for  this  crowded  but  happy 
home,  and  if  she  had  been  of  a  philosophic 
turn  of  mind  she  would  no  doubt  have  questioned 
the  wisdom  of  going  there  at  all,  since  a  viut  al- 
ways left  her  somewhat  sad-hearted  as  she  wended 
her  way  homeward.  Lindsay  would  have  rejoiced 
at  anything  destroying  the  charm  that  small  houra  i 
held  for  her  beloved  obild,  while  she  laid  eyer^ 
possible  objection  in  the  way  of  her  going  there, 

*9 


^1 


44 


A  NEW  LIFE  BEGUN. 


but  Angela  was  clever  at  contriving  errandn,  and 
the  grim  housekeeper  loved  the  girl  so  well  she 
could  not  find  it  in  her  heart  to  refuse  her  request 
occasionally. 

After  the  invitation  for  Donald  to  come  to 
school  had  been  given  and  accepted,  Angela  be- 
thought herself  it  might  be  necessary  to  secure 
her  teacher's  consent  to  the  arrangement,  and  all 
that  afternoon  while  her  thoughts  should  have 
been  intent  on  her  lessons  they  were  really  trying 
to  frame  a  suitable  way  to  proffer  her  request ; 
but  she  was  not  an  adept  at  framing  petitioning 
sentences,  so  that  when  the  last  moment  came  she 
was  no  nearer  the  solution  of  her  difficult  task 
than  at  noontime. 

"  You  have  been  very  inattentive  to  your  les- 
sons to-day,  Angela,"  was  the  teacher's  reproof 
when  school  hours  were  endod.    ''  I  am  beginning 
to  think  it  is  not  right  for  me  to  spend  my  time 
over  such  an  indifferent  student." 
Angela's  face  lighted  up  suddenly. 
"  I  am  so  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,"  she  replied, 
"  for  I  want  Donald  Wardell  to  come  to  school 
to  you;  he  is  going  i/>  be  a  great  man  some  day, 
and  you  won't  feel  any  more  as  if  you  were  wast- 
ing your  time." 

"  Who  says  he  is  to  come  here? " 


•^limmmmmtitflgft:- 


:*.,- 


HBW  LUTE  BSGUK. 


46 


**  No  one  has  said  bo  but  myaelf .  Yoa  will  be 
willing  if  I  promise  to  study  a  great  deal  harder ; 
please  let  me  tell  him  to  eome." 

"But,  my  child,  what  will  people  say?  he  is 
merely  a  farm  lad  —  just  a  oommpn  boy." 

"  No,  indeed ;  he  is  very  uncommon.  There  is 
not  such  another  boy  In  Longhurst  —  not  very 
many,  I  think,  in  the  world ;  for  God  don't  mah» 
many  of  that  kind." 

Miss  Buckingham  smiled. 

"If  all  the  world  were  like  you  it  would  be 
a  more  comfortable  place  for  the  ones  who  have 
brains ;  they  seem  to  be  your  aristocracy." 

"Then  you  will  let  me  tell  him  to  come ;  I  am 
sure  I  can  learn  better  if  there  is  novae  one  study* 
Ing  with  me"  she  pleaded. 

"  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  have  any  one  study 
with  you  if  it  will  only  waken  you  up." 

"  I  am  wide  awake  all  the  time,"  said  Angela, 
"  but  yon  know  there  is  not  a  great  deal  in  me  to 
get  wakened.  It  is  no  use  tor  me  to  study  a 
great  deal  since  I  cannot  make  a  great  scholar. 
I  just  want  to  b<^  happy  and  make  otherb  happy ; 
that  is  all  the  luission  I  have  to  perform." 

"I  have  grave  doubts  about  that,  Angela," 
said  the  teacher.  "You  have  more  original 
thoughts  than  almost  any  one  I  know.    Such 


46 


A  NEW  LIFE  BEGUK. 


thoughts  do  not  usually  accompany  lack  of  brain 
power.  If  you  would  only  txy,  I  belioTe  you 
would  surprise  us  all." 

*'  Perhaps  I  will  when  Donald  comes.  I  am 
going  down  there  now,  and  won't  you  please  to 
tell  Lindsay  what  we  are  going  to  do? " 

tt  May  I  put  all  the  blame  on  you  then  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  and  won't  you  please  tell  her  at  once  ? 
I  will  stay  a  while  with  Mrs.  Wardell,  and  when 
I  come  back  the  worst  of  her  temper  will  be  over 
—  it  generally  works  off  in  an  hour  or  two." 

Angela  did  not  wait  for  a  reply.  She  went 
first  to  the  garden  for  the  floVers,  for  it  was  a 
custom  with  her  never  to  go  among  her  friends 
without  bringing  an  offering  of  some  sort  by  way 
of  insuring  a  welcome  —  perhaps  it  was,  however, 
that  her  nature  was  so  large  and  generous  it 
pained  her  not  to  have  something  to  bestow  when 
she  went  among  her  friends. 

She  walked  along  slowly ;  she  was  not  anxious 
to  return  until  Lindsay's  temper  had  got  done 
fermenting,  and  it  was  just  possible  she  might 
not  find  Donald  at  home,  since  his  excursions 
seemed  to  have  taken  wider  ranges  of  late.  Her 
heart  was  unusually  light  as  she  made  her  way 
slowly  through  budding  leaves  and  flowers,  the 
westering  sun  shedding  his  glory  over  alL 


A  KBW  LIFE  BEGUN. 


47 


I 


"What  a  nice  world  it  is,"  she  marmared, 
pausing  to  look  over  the  fair  landscape  stretching 
beyond  her.  "  What  a  pity  one  has  to  die  and 
leare  it  all." 

Standing  there  in  the  midsummer  sunshine  she 
shivered,  as  if  suddenly  a  blast  from  winter  had 
swept  up  from  Antarctic  wastes,  for  suddenly 
the  thought  oi  her  own  father  and  the  fair-faced 
mother  lyin^  under  the  mould,  came  to  her. 
She  stood  meditatively  by  the  gate  looking  down 
at  the  ground;  to  think  that  one  day  her  own 
soft  white  flesh  should  mingle  with  that,  become 
a  part  of  it,  seemed  too  dreadful. 

<«  I  wonder  what  has  made  me  think  of  such 
things  when  I  was  so  happy? "she  said  aloud, 
and  mentally  shaking  herself  for  such  folly ;  she 
raised  her  head,  her  eyes  falling  for  an  instant 
on  the  rich  coloring  and  satin  petals  of  the  per- 
fumed flowers  in  her  hands.  *«  They  came  from 
the  ground ;  some  day  I  will  come-  from  it  too, 
and  be  so  beautiful."  She  paused,  arrested  by  a 
new,  thrilling  thought,  while  her  eyes  were  lifted 
higher  —  even  to  the  far,  delicious  blue  of  the 
arching  heavens  above  her.  « I  forgot  the  resur- 
rection and  Heaven  and  God.  I  will  be  one  of 
Christ'b  own  little  ones." 

She  stood  gaating  up  solemnly,  perhaps  never 


-"m-   '■" 


48 


A  NEW  LIFE  BEGUN. 


before  realizing  as  at  that  moment,  how  real 
Heaven  is,  and  God  and  all  the  great  life,  throb- 
bing, pulsating  with  bliss  beyond  that  blue  vault. 

"  I  will  just  give  myself  to  the  Lord  now," 
she  continued.  "I  promised  my  father  that  I 
would  be  good  and  seek  the  Lord,  and  I  have 
not  done  it  yet.  I  never  realized  before  how  I 
was  to  do  it." 

She  knelt  down,  still  clasping  the  flowers,  and 
lifting  the  sweet,  pure  face  to  Ood,  made  her  act 
of  consecration.  When  at  last  she  arose  from 
her  knees  Fra  Angelico  might  have  copied  her 
face  for  one  of  his  angels.  She  Vent  on  her  way 
feeling  so  glad  in  the  thought  that  now  she  be- 
longed to  the  Lo-i*d,  and  feeling  too  that  she  must 
go  softly  on  her  way  throngh  life  as  became  one 
of  Christ's  little  ones. 

Arrived  at  the  cottage  she  gave  her  flowers  to 
Ag^es,  who  had  seen  her  coming  and  was  waiting 
for  her  at  the  door.  When  she  entered  the  house 
she  foiind  Mrs.  Wardell  sitting  at  her  sewing  in 
the  spotless  kitchen.  She  was  one  of  those  per- 
fect housekeepers  that  never  permitted  things  to 
get  into  disorder,  no  matter  what  the  emergency, 
and  Angela,  who  was  keenly  sensitive  to  all  subtle 
influences,  fairly  reveled  in  the  home  comfort 
and  cleanliness  of  that  tiny  cottage. 


'Si 


A  KETT  LnrB  BEOUK. 


49 


"  I  oame  to  aee  Donald,"  were  her  first  words. 
She  then  hastened  to  expU^in  her  errand.  A  joy 
needlessly  withheld  was  merely  defrauding  the 
person  to  whom  by  right  it  belonged  of  that 
amount  of  pleasure  for  the  time  being,  and  life 
is  so  brief,  and  joy  so  limited  it  is  cruel  to  oheat 
any  one  of  their  rightful  share  of  it. 

"  He  is  beyond,  in  the  keeping-room,  studying 
the  books  yon  loaned  him ;  the  lad  is  fair  daft 
about  wee,  creeping  things." 

The  mother  spoke  fretfully.  She  was  a  large* 
hearted  ifoman,  possessed  of  a  vigorous  but  un- 
trained intellect,  and  was  willing  that  her  children 
should  have  their  hobbies,  but  this  one  of  Donald's 
was  so  ridiculous  she  could  see  no  sense  whatever 
in  permitting  him  indulgence  in  it. 

"Miss  Buckingham  thinks  he  may  become 
a  great  naturalist,"  speaking  proudly,  but  Mrs. 
Wardell  was  not  versed  in  scientific  phraseology. 

*'  He  seems  to  be  that  now ;  only  that  I  know 
the  lad  is  not  deficient  in  wit  t'd  be  as  frightened 
a.'d  sure  of  it  as  your  teacher." 

**  I^ut  a  naturalist  is  a  man  who  studies  about 
the  thii.<^  that  Donald  is  so  interested  in;  I 
hunted  th<>  word  up  in  the  dictionary." 

"  May  be  so ;  but  in  Scotland  we  used  to  call 
a  daft  person  a  naturaL" 


i^^^^^„^t^ad 


i^^^^M 


^SM 


60 


A  NEW   LIPB  BKOtJH. 


« I  expect  he  will  write  book*  some  day,  about 
bugs  and  8uoh  small  animals ;  you  will  be  proud 
of  him  then." 

»» I  doubt  if  any  one  would  buy  his  books  — 
most  folks  get  more  of  bugs  than  they  want  with- 
out liaving  tu  read  about  them." 

"I  cannot  explain  to  you,  but  I  feel  sure 
Donald  is  going  to  be  somebody  in  particular," 
Angela  said  stoutly,  while  she  closed  the  argu- 
ment by  going  into  the  keeping-room  and  closing 
the  door  behind  her.  All  her  sympathies  were 
aroused  for  the  boy  who  received  so  little  of  that 
soothing  article  in  his  own  home. 

He  did  not  notice  her  entrance.  On  the  table 
before  him  he  had  some  large,  unhappy-looking 
creatures  pinned  securely  to  a  bit  of  shingle,  and 
was  apparently  absorbed  in  studying  their  char- 
acteristics; the  book  was  open  at  Lis  side,  and 
excellent  likenesses  of  the  same  creeping  things 
adorned  its  pages. 

"O,  Donald  1  what  have  you  there?"  Angela 
asked,  with  a  shudder. 

He  turned  to  her  with  an  abstracted  air.  "  I 
found  them  in  the  Giffen  swamp  to-day ;  are  they 
not  beauties  ?  " 

"Did  you  walk  all  the  way  there  and  back?" 
she  asked,  with  amazement. 


A  KXW  LIFB  BSOtTV. 


61 


**  Pretty  nearly  all  tlis  way ;  I  gvit  a  ride  for  a 
mile  or  so,"  he  answered  indifferently. 

**  Why,  it  mutt  have  been  a  doiien  miles  there 
and  back." 

**  Yes ;  but  what  does  that  matter  when  I  got 
these?" 

**  Are  they  any  good  ?  " 

"  Good  I  I  should  say  they  were.  I  mean  to 
know  all  about  them  before  I  am  done  with  them. 
This  book  don't  just  tell  the  truth,  I  am  thinking, 
but  then,  I  don't  know  anything  of  Latin,  aiid 
that  may  be  what  deceives  me.  There  is  some 
of  that  ntnff  here.  One  thing,  if  I  ever  did  write 
a  book  it  should  all  be  in  the  same  language." 
He  sighed  heavily. 

*'  I  have  been  studying  Latin  for  more  than  a 
year ;  perhaps  I  could  tell  you  what  it  means." 
He  pointed  out  the  place  hopefully,  but,  alas, 
she  could  only  translate  a  few  of  the  easy  words, 
leaving  him  as  much  mystified  as  ever. 

**  Never  mind,  Donald ;  you  are  to  come  to  the 
Fines  on  Monday,  to  study  with  me.  I  g^t  your 
father's  consent  first,  and  then  Miss  Bucking- 
ham's, so  now  you  are  on  the  road  to  be  a  great 
man." 

**  I  don't  want  to  be  a  great  man,  they  ,  ore  so 


68 


A  KBW  UFB  BEGUN. 


bothered  with  people  lunning  after  them,  and 
then  they  have  other  worries  that  don't  pay.  All 
I  want  is  plenty  of  books  and  a  house  to  keep 
them  in,  away  in  the  womls  where  I  would  never 
be  interrupted,  and  could  find  speoimens." 

"  You  would  need  to  do  something  to  earn 
money ;  one  can't  do  without  victuals  and  clothes." 

"  I  could  hire  out  for  a  few  days  now  and  then, 
and  earn  what  little  money  I  would  need." 

"You  would  never  do  any  good  to  anybody 
just  living  that  v;ay." 

*'But  I  would  study  about  these  all  the  time.; 
you  have  no  idea  how  much  there  is  to  learn." 

"  You  do  not  seem  a  bit  glad  about  coming  to 
school,"  Angela  said  sorrowfully. 

"  But  I  am  glad ;  more  so  than  I  can  toll  you ; 
and  if  you  really  want  me  to  write  a  book  when 
I  know  enough  I  will  try.  I  will  do  that  or  any 
thing  to  please  you  that  is  possible  for  me." 

There  was  a  quiver  in  the  boyish  voice  that 
touched  Angela  deeply.  She  made  up  her  mind 
to  overcome  her  repugnance  to  Donald's  treas- 
ures, and,  if  possible,  get  interested  in  them  her- 
self, so  with  this  laudable  end  in  view  she  seated 
herself  beside  him.  The  muscles  of  her  face, 
however,  were  soon  working  in  sympathy  with 


A  MKW   LIFB  BBOUM. 


u 


the  feeblt!  offorta  of  his  prisonera  to  free  them- 
selves ;  her  pity  at  last  overoainn  her  anxiety  to 
be  a  help  rather  than  hindemnou  to  him. 

**  Why  do  you  treat  them  so  cruelly  ?  Don't 
you  know  it  is  torture  to  them  to  be  pinned  to 
that  shingle?" 

"I  don't  think  so.  They  are  so  small,  and 
have  so  little  blood,  they  cannot  have  much 
feeling." 

"  But  they  have  nerves  and  sensation  just  as 
much  in  proportion  to  their  size  as  either  of  us. 
Please  don't  fasten  them  that     ay  any  more." 

««But  what  shall  T  do  witu  them  while  I  am 
studying  about  them  ?  " 

•'Put  them  in  a  box,"  was  the  triumphant 
reply. 

''  They  would  crawl  out  in  no  time,  or  else  go 
to  killing  each  other." 

"You  couldn't  glue  them,  could  you?"  she 
said  hesitatingly. 

"  I  will  have  to  impale  them  for  a  while  yet ; 
you  know  they  used  to  treat  the  martyrs  that 
way." 

Angela  watched  them  pitifully,  her  sympathies 
divided  over  the  sorrows  of  the  poor,  vanished 
martyrs  and  Donald's  prisoners. 

"Are  you  not  afraid  God  will  be  angry  with 


64 


A  NEV^  T-rE  BEGUN. 


you  ?    He  loves  everything  he  has  made  —  beetles, 
and  martyrs,  and  all  of  us." 

"  I  have  .my  doubts  about  these  chaps  ;  some 
way  I  think  they  just  growed,  as  Topsy  said. 
Now,  do  you  think  yourself  the  Lord  would  think 
about  them  while  he  was  making  worlds  and  gieat 
oceans  and  mountains  ?  " 

"  Nobody  else  could  make  them,  and  you  know 
they  never  made  themselves ;  nobody  ever  sees 
things  getting  made  that  way  —  half -finished  ani- 
mals or  biids  crawling  around ;  beside  the  Bible 
says  creepiiig  things,  don't  you  remember  in  the 
first  chapter  of  Genesis?  " 

Donald  slowly  released  his  dftptives  and  got  an 
empty  collar  box  in  which  to  secure  them.  Then 
he  settled  down  again  to  his  interrupted  work, 
and  after  a  few  minutes  Angela  painfully  real- 
ized that  she  was  of  less  consequence  to  him  just 
then  than  those  hideous  creatures  who,  no  doubt, 
were  making  the  empty  spaces  of  the  box  ring 
with  their  cries  of  rage  and  despair  if  only  she 
had  octaves  of  hearing  high  enough  for  her  to 
hear  them.  She  slipped  out  of  the  room  slightly 
chagrined,  but  also  relieved  to  find  that  he  did 
not  seem  to  want  her  help.  Ancient  history,  or 
even  arithmetic  would  be  sunshine  and  rose  bloom 
compared  with  the  study  of  those  nasty  creatures. 


Ml 


NEW  LIFE  BEGUK. 


66 


Janet  and  Agnes  were  always  delighted  to  have 
a  visit  from  Angela,  apart  from  the  good  things 
she  bi-ought  them.  They  had  not  got  beyond  the 
rag  baby  period  of  their  existence,  and,  although 
Angeht  had  iiome  time  ago  ceased  to  cherish  any 
special  fondness  for  dolls,  she  could  enter  \'ery 
heartily  into  the  little  girls'  pleasures  in  this  re- 
spect. They  had  quite  a  family  of  children,  the 
maternal  instinct  being  strong  in  them,  and  hav- 
ing deft  fingers  for  such  small  girls,  they  added 
to  their  family  as  the  exigencies  of  the  case  re- 
quired. A  bit  of  bleached  cotton,  a  touch  of 
Donald's  water  colors,  and  some  bits  of  calico 
were  8u£Gioient  at  any  time  to  set  up  a  separate 
doll  life.  They  had  fertile  imaginations,  and  as 
a  result  of  this  gift  many  a  rag  baby  was  moul- 
dering in  the  ground,  the  victim  of  measles  or 
consumption  or  a  fatal  accident  —  a  catastrophe 
that  duplicated  some  happening  in  Longhurst  or 
their  own  neighborhood. 

Angela  preferred  weddings  to  funerals,  and 
she  seldom  spent  an  hour  there  without  one  of 
these  festive  occurrences  taking  place.  But  to- 
day she  felt  a  more  womanly  instinct  throbbing 
in  her  heart.  She  wanted  to  talk  to  Mrs.  War- 
dell;  to  tell  her  about  Donald  and  to  get  her 
interested  in  the  lad's  pursuits  —  the  latter  a  task 


'■ii^'-,: 


66 


A  KBW  LIPB  BF>OUN. 


more  difficult  tban  she  expected.  She  further- 
more wished  to  consult  her  about  bestowing  on 
him  the  severe  mental  training  that  she  had  her- 
self  expected  to  suffer  from;  it  would  be  so  much 
better  if  she  could  lay  the  money  out  on  him  in- 
stead,  making  him,  in  a  way,  her  proxy.  But 
Mrs.  Wardell  was  very  wary  and  circumspect  in 
her  remarks,  giving  her  no  encouragement  to  ex- 
pect that  her  help  would  be  accepted  further  than 
in  taking  lessons  from  Miss  Buckingham. 

"  You  must  not  think  because  we  do  not  accept 
your  generous  offer,  my  dear,  that  w  're  ungrate- 
ful; that  will  never  be;  but  you  ;   e  not  much 
more  than  a  child  yet,  and  by  the  time  the  lad  is 
ready  for  college  your  mind  may  change.    When 
you  get  into  long  frocks  you  won't  come  dropping 
in  here  liku  one  of  my  own ;  a  great  change  gen- 
erally  takes  place  between  the  girl  and  woman. 
The  girl  can  be  friendly  with  them  beneath  tor 
when  the  woman  can't ;  and  we'd  be  Ae  last  to 
try  to  hold  you  to  promises  made  before  you  were 
old  enough  to  know  better.     Poor  people  has 
their  pride  as  well  as  the  rich." 

Angela  looked  grieved,  but  she  seemed  to  think 
it  useless  to  argue  the  matter,  yet  all  the  same 
she  had  her  mind  made  up  that  the  g^rl  Angela. 
should  be  reproduced  in  the  woman.     She  was 


A  HEW  UFB  BBOU5. 


67 


silent  for  some  time,  and  then  in  a  quiet  way 

said : 

"Don't  you  think  it  is  sad  for  a  person  when 
there  is  no  one  near  enough  to  them  to  be  helped? 
I  wonder  if  the  Lord  bn't  sorry  sometimes  for 
the  lonely  ones,  espeoiaUy  when  they  are  so 
anxious  to  help  others  ?  " 

Mrs.  Wardell  shot  her  a  keen  ghmce  from 
beneath  her  strong  eyebrows,  but  Angela  was 
smoothing  out  the  tangled  curls  of  a  waxen  dollie 
bhe  had  given  Agnes  one  Christmas,  her  face 
looking  about  as  innocent  as  the  doll's. 

"  If  we  at3  anxious  to  be  of  use  in  the  world 

^die  Lord  is  certain  to  give  rj  the  chance  to  be 

so;  he  never  wastes  anything.     It's  only  pow 

useless  cioatures  who  can't  create  that  dares  to 

be  wasteful." 

«I  wish  when  it  is  so  easy  to  cxeate  people 
there  had  been  some  made  for  me  ;  if  I  only  had 
a  brother  now  to  help  I  would  be  willing  to  go 
without  myself  to  give  to  him,  especially  the 
privUege  of  studying,"  she  said,  with  a  smile. 
It  was  impossible  for  her  to  be  mekncholj  for 
any  length  of  time,  and  then,  to-day  she  was 
having  so  much  to  make  her  happy.  The  peace 
that  had  come  so  sweetly  as  well  as  strangely 
into  her  heart  a  short  time  before,  when  in  her 


68 


A  NEW  LIFE  BEGUN. 


act  of  consecration  she  gave  herself  to  God,  was 
still  with  her.  She  questioned  anxiously  with 
herself  if  she  should  tell  Mrs.  Wardell  about  it. 
That  good  woman  looked  so  grim  and  strong  she 
could  not  help  wondering  if  she  bad  ever  felt 
the  necessity  of  going  to  a  stronger  power  than 
her  own  firm  will;  if  she  had  ever  taken  her 
ignorant,  finite  heart  to  God  to  be  made  wise,  to 
be  fashioned,  controlled  by  him. 

"  Can  we  give  ourselves  to  God  when  we  are 
children  ?  Do  you  think,  now,  that  I  could  be  a 
Christian  ?  "  she  asked  timidly. 

"  Why,  certainly  you  could. .  Don't  you  re> 
member  the  Lord  said  himself  when  he  was  on 
earth,  *  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto 
me '  ?  and  he  never  changes.  It's  better  to  come 
then  than  when  you  are  older." 

"  Well,  I  gave  myself  to  Him  to-day,  and  I 
feel  ever  so  much  safer  and  happier  since."  She 
spoke  with  a  frankn'  ss  that  made  the  hard  lines 
about  Mrs.  Wardell's  mouth  relax,  but  she  put 
a  restraint  on  herself  and  forced  back  the  smile 
that  was  lurking  there. 

"  You  must  not  deceive  yourself  and  take  up 
with  a  false  hope.  One  can't  be  too  careful  in 
these  matters  that  concern  the  soul  and  eternity." 

"  O,  no  1  I  just  gave  myself  honestly  to  G 


perK 
not : 
spiri 


A  TSnEW   lilFB  BBQUK. 

I  told  him  I  wasn't  good,  especially  that  I  did 
not  like  to  study,  but  if  he  would  take  me  for 
his  child  I  would  just  do  what  he  wanted  me  to." 

ohe  spoke  as  calmly  on  the  subject  of  her  ex- 
perience, and  with  an  assurance  that  a  gray-haired 
professor  of  sanotiflcation  might  covet. 

♦'  I  always  thought  it  would  be  such  hard  work 
to  get  converted,"  she  continued.  "The  minister 
says  we  must  agonize,  but  I  do  not  think  there 
is  any  need  for  agony  to  come  near  to  Christ. 
Why,  he  just  seems  the  same  as  my  own  father 
used  to.  I  always  felt  that  he  loved  me,  and 
that  he  wanted  me  to  love  him.  There  was  no 
agony  about  that ;  and  it  is  just  the  same  way 
with  Christ.  Why,  I  love  to  sit  here  and  talk 
with  you  about  it." 

The  doll  lay  forgotten  on  her  lap,  while  with 
clasped  hands  and  rapt,  upturned  face  she  talked 
of  the  blessed  experience  which  had  just  burst 

upon  her. 

Mrs.  Warden's  face  was  becoming  graver, 
while  there  was  a  suspicion  of  tears  in  her  eyes 
as  she  worked  silently.  Perhaps  her  voice  was 
too  unsteady  for  speech ;  perhaps  the  child's  ex- 
perience had  so  far  outstripped  her  own  she  dare 
not  make  confession  of  her  slowness  of  growth  in 
spiritual  things. 


CHAPTER  rV. 


ANGELA'S  TEA  PABTIE8. 


Angela  went  homo  in  the  gloaming  that  even- 
ing, in  a  very  contented  frame  of  mind  even  for 
her,  since  she  usually  found  far  more  of  sweet 
than  bitter  in  her  allotments.  Very  rarely  she 
staid  to  have  tea  with  the  Wardells,  and  these 
were  the  most  satisfactory  tea  drinkings  she  ever 
had,  as  well  as  the  most  simple.  The  ancient 
china  that  had  come  safely  across  the  ocean  with 
Mrs.  Wardell  when  she  was  an  infant  in  arms, 
was  brought  out  from  its  hiding-place,  carefully 
washed  and  placed  on  a  tablecloth  so  perfectly 
laundried  it  might  have  been  the  admiration  of 
a  Chinaman.  Then,  no  othet  person's  bread  had 
just  such  a  flavor  as  Mrs.  Wardell's ;  her  scones 
were  irresistible,  while  her  jams  surpassed  even 
Lindsay's. 

Angela  used  to  linger  lovingly  over  these  tea 
drinkings.     The  tea  itself  was  certainly  very 

61 


88  ANGELA'S  TEA  PARTIES. 

weak,  sin6e  she  was  not  permitted  a  free  use  of 
that  beverage,  but  the  great  flakes  of  cream 
floating  on  top,  ."^nd.  the  mixture  sweetened  with 
such  wiue  diBcrimination -  ~a  single  grain  added 
or  taken  away  would  hare  marred  its  perfection 
—  left  her  nothing  further  to  desire. 

Beside  this  elegant  repast  had  the  added  charm 
of  delightful  conversation  r  even  the  cat  used  to 
sit  on  the  floor  by  Mrs.  Wardell's  chair,  and  in 
the  pauses  of  cci.'.ersatnn  her  voice  could  be  dis- 
tinctly heard  purring  her  satisfaction.  The  chil- 
dren were  encouraged  to  talk,  but  the  subjects  of 
oonvprsation  were  limited  to  agreeable  topics ; 
neither  were  they  permitted  to  spice  it  with  gos- 
sip. Wardell,  in  many  ways,  might  have  sat  for 
a  portrait  of  one  of  the  pld  patriarchs  who  jour- 
neyed to  and  fro  on  the  fresh-made  world,  so 
uncompromising  was  he  in  matters  of  conscience, 
sn  given  to  nobility  of  thinking. 

In  that  humble  cottage  there  was  a  miniature 
Spar<a,  and  children  were  getting  trained  there 
to  be  just  as  bravb  and  true  as  any  of  the  youths 
oi  that  famous  republic.  There  was,  in  addition 
to  all  th's,  a  spirit  of  comfortable  contentment 
brooding  over  tht  place ;  of  healthy  cheerfulness 
at  life  and  its  outlooks,  that,  ucuonsciously  to 
herself,  erfolded  her  like  a  soft  garment,  bring- 


■-  r-/ 


■iPllilM 


ANOBLA*S  TEA  PARTIES. 


68 


Ing  warmth  and  comfort.  They  had  mingled 
little  with  Longhurst  people;  their  station  was 
so  humble  the  great  folk  there  had  passed  them 
by  with  the  same  indifference  they  meted  to  com- 
monplace specimens  of  the  dumb  creatiob,  and 
possibly  the  Wardells  had  been  the  gainers  in 
this  matter,  for  worse  even  than  an  unworthy 
book  is  the  society  of  the  ignoble;  if  one  pos- 
sesses themselves  the  nobler  elements  of  charac- 
ter, these  will  more  healthfully  develop  in  solitude 
than  in  mixed  society;  it  is  only  weak  natures 
that  run  to  seed  in  silence. 

When  she  reached  home  Angela  found  that 
Lindsay's  anger  had  not  finished  yeasting ;  rather 
it  had  gained  in  strength  as  the  girl  prolonged 
her  stay.  She  was  sitting  in  the  twilight,  her 
knitting  needles  gleaming  savagely  in  th'*  fading 
light  as  she  plied  them  with  wasteful  vigor. 

"  Where  have  you  been  till  this  time  of  night, 
Angela  ?  "  she  demanded. 

'  At  the  Wardells',  and  O,  Lindsay !  I  have 
had  such  a  delightful  afternoon.  I  wish  you 
would  go  there  and  make  them  a  visit,  perhaps 
you  might  find  out  what  makes  it  so  charming 
for  me." 

She  finished  the  sentence  a  little  doubtfully. 
It  was  a  question  in  her  mind  if  Lindsay  had 


T 


64 


ANOBLA'8  tea  PARTIK8. 


faonlty  enough  of  the  right  surt  to  make  that 
discovery. 

"  Me  visit  at  the  house  of  a  day  laborer  ?  No ; 
I  have  a  little  more  respeot  for  myself  than  that, 
if  some  others  I  could  mention  haven't." 

"Wasn't  it  nice  in  the  Lord  Jesus  that  he 
went  so  much  among  working  people  ?  and,  Lind- 
say, he  was  well  bom." 

She  spoke  with  a  gentle  reverence  that  for  a 
moment  silenced  the  housekeeper's  wrath.  Pres- 
ently gathering  up  her  forces,  however,  the  latter 
went  on : 

"  I've  taken  care  of  yon  since  you  was  born, 
and  I  promised  your  father  to  do  by  you  as  if 
you  was  my  own;  no  wonder  I  feel  distressed 
when  I  see  yon  taking  to  such  ways.  You  should 
associate  with  none  but  the  best  in  Longhurst." 

"  I  believe  I  do  that  when  1  go  to  the  War- 
dells'  ;  I  don't  think  you  understand  people  very 
well,  Lindsay  —  some  don't,  you  know  —  or  you 
would  see  how  superior  they  are.  Now  I  don't 
care  muoh  for  the  Longhurst  folk ;  they  are 
not  my  style  at  all,  and  you  know  they  were 
not  my  pap*  <»,"  concluding  her  remarks  with  a 
melancholy  smile. 

'^What  is  this  about  Donald  coming  here  to 
school  that  Miss  Buckingham  tells  me  about? 


\f>  ,'■ 


/■■• 


wmmm 


ff 


AN0KLA*8  TBA  PARTIB8. 


16 


What  do  you  think  your  papa  would  say  to 
that?" 

"  If  I  could  ask  him  I  am  sure  he  would  say 
for  me  to  fill  up  the  schoolroom  with  boys  and 
girls  who  want  to  learn  about  the  vorld  they  live 

10. 

*'  Bless  me,  child !  what  are  you  going  to  be- 
come?   I  am  afraid  you  will  break  my  heart." 

"  I  won't  do  that  now,  for  I  gave  myself  away 
to  Ood  to-day.  I  am  always  going  to  belong  to 
him  after  this.  Aren't  you  glad,  Lindsay?" 
There  was  a  pathetic  quaver  in  the  girlish  voice, 
it  was  so  hard  to  have  no  one  to  sympathise  with 
her  in  this  great,  new  joy,  so  sad  to  be  met  on 
every  side  with  indifference. 

"  If  it  makes  you  any  more  inclined  to  asso- 
ciate with  them  beneath  you  I  won't  see  much 
cause  for  thankfulness.  Dear  me,  I  don't  know 
what  I'll  do  with  you  at  eighteen  if  you  are  so 
willful  at  twelve." 

*' Good-night,  Lindsay!  I  am  going  to  bed 
now,  and  I  am  grateful  to  you  for  not  scolding 
me  any  more  about  Donald."  She  was  gone  be- 
fore Lindsay  had  time  to  reply,  and  that  practical 
woman  was  left  even  more  discomfited  than  usual 
when  she  and  Angela  had  a  dispute  about  the 
WardeUs. 


66 


AMOBLA'8  TEA   PARTIES. 


"  It  is  na  une,  I  shall  be  compelled  to  do  it, 
much  as  I  dislikf^  tea  parties.  Things  has  oomo 
to  that  pass  something  must  be  done,  and  the 
only  way  I  see  is  to  get  Angela  interested  in 
others  beside  the  Wardells,  and  in  fine  clothes  — 
they'll  be  a  sight  of  help ;  as  it  is,  the  ohihl  is 
getting  too  much  for  me."  Thus  Lindsay  solil- 
oquized as  she  lighted  the  lamp  and  got  the 
Wc'okly  newspaper  —  her  usual  solace  in  worry  of 
any  kind. 

The  following  week  she  put  her  resolve  into 
execution,  issuing,  in  Angela's  name,  the  invita- 
tions for  a  select  gathering  of  young  people,  very 
much,  however,  against  that  young  lady's  wishes, 
for  the  people  invited  were  every  one  of  them 
several  years  older  than  herself,  and  for  the  most 
part  comparative  strangers.  They  came  the  even- 
ing appointed  and  a  meiTy,  romping  crowd  they 
wei-e,  according  to  Lindsay's  estimate ;  very  dif- 
ferent from  the  specimens  of  young  ladyhood  it 
had  been  her  privilege  to  wait  upon  in  her  young 
days,  so  she  assured  Angela  and  her  teacher,  at 
breakfast  the  following  morning. 

Angela  pleaded  hard  to  have  a  party  of  her 
own  choosing  to  finish  the  remains  of  the  feast, 
but  Licdsay  had  suffered  enough  from  society 
for  the  present,  and  the  only  oouoession  she  would 


AKOBLA*B  TEA   PARTIKS. 


«T 


mnke  was  for  a  pionio  in  the  pine  woodii.  Angela 
Koou  deiiiilud  this  wait  the  l>eiit  plan,  after  all,  for 
they  would  have  all  outdoor  at  their  diitpoHal,  and 
no  one  to  interfere  with  any  of  their  enterpriaea, 
while  they  oould  eat  their  good  things,  seated  on 
logs  and  mossy  hilloclcH,  with  as  little  ceremony 
as  the  robins  themselves.  This  she  felt  wouhl  be 
a  special  relief  to  some  of  her  guests  whose  par- 
ents had  neglected  to  teach  them  table  etiquette. 

She  issued  her  invitations  with  great  glee. 
Some  thirty  children  in  all  were  bidden  to  her 
feast,  among  them  three  little  Browns,  sisters  of 
Martha,  their  own  housemaid,  who  took  all  the 
more  interest  on  that  account  in  the  gathering, 
no  doubt  feeling  her  heart  grow  more  tender  to- 
ward the  child  who  delighted  in  making  glad  the 
poor  as  well  as  rich.  Even  Lindsay  got  inter- 
ested in  it  before  the  day  arrived,  and  gave 
orders  for  a  fresh  batch  of  cake  to  be  made,  and 
boiled  a  ham  in  order  that  the  supply  of  sand- 
wiches might  not  be  limited. 

Of  course  lessons  were  out  of  the  question 
while  the  picnic  was  on  the  carpet,  and  if  it  had 
not  been  for  Donald,  who  scarcely  expended  a 
moment's  time  in  anything  but  steady  work  at 
his  lessons,  their  teacher  would  have  been  in  de- 
spair over  her  wasted  time. 


*>' 


68 


Angela's  tsa  parties. 


Lindsay  found  the  attraction  across  the  field 
too  strong  for  her  when  the  day  came  and  the 
children  were  at  their  games  under  the  trees,  and 
presently  Martha,  who  was  busy  carrying  the 
good  things  out  to  the  table  which  Wardell  had 
set  up  under  the  trees,  was  surprised  to  see  her 
skirting  along  the  edge  of  the  wood,  and  watch- 
ing the  children  flitting  among  tLo  trees.  Angela 
found  it  one  of  the  happiest  seasons  of  her  life 
when  at  last  the  tea  was  ready,  and  each  child 
was  se  ited  around  her  waiting  to  begin  the  im- 
portant wo:'k  of  the  day. 

Sammy  Smith  assured  Eldora  Black  who  was 
sitting  beside  him  that  Angela  reminded  him  of 
a  piece  of  sunshiro  walking  around.  The  boy 
had  a  poetic  streak  in  his  composition,  inLsrited, 
so  his  mother  affirmed,  from  herself.  As  he  sat 
there,  a  sandwich  in  one  hand  and  a  mug  of  hot 
coffee  in  the  other,  he  felt  like  bursting  into 
rhyme  to  immortulizb  the  occasion,  but  the  sight 
of  Martha  bearing  down  on  him  with  a  huge 
basin  of  ice-cream  dissipated  the  poetic  frenzy, 
and  he  fell  to  the  work  in  hand  as  greedily  as 
the  moBc  lumpish  youth  in  the  crowd.  Ice-cream 
was  of  too  dissolving  a  nature  on  a  hot  summer 
evening  to  watt  for  anything  so  tedious  an  verse 
making,  Sammy  wisely  decided.    Eldora  enjoyed 


•"WW^'^ 


havii 

bette 
oomj 
for  q 
were 
Li 
and 
away 
Ang< 
sight 
those 
fervo 
drinl 
only  I 
thinj 
shon 

don' 
heai 
ferii 
nuti 
givt 
disc 
wai 
I 
sigl 
witl 


ANGBIiA'S  TEA  PABTIBS. 


69 


having  Sammy's  attention  directed  to  the  victuals 
better  than  on  Angek,  for  they  had  been  keeping 
company  according  to  her  version  of  the  matter 
for  quite  a  good  whUe— although  both  of  them 
were  only  just  into  their  teens. 

Lindsay  liad  been  gradually  crroUng  nearer, 
and  before  the  tea  was  concluded  was  working 
away  among  them  as  busy  and  interested  as 
Angela  herself.     It  certainly  wae  an  inspiring 
sight  the  way  the  good  things  disappeared  down 
those  thirty  youthful  throats.     Angela,  in  the 
fervor  of  her  hospitality,  pressed  them  to  eat  and 
drink  untU  nature  rebe'led  at  last,  and  they  could 
only  gaze  regretfully  at  the  plates  filled  with  good 
things  still  untouched.     Lindsay  sent  them  home 
shortly  after  they  ceased  eating. 

"They'll  be  getting  sick  next  thing,  and  I 
don't  want  them  dying  around  here,"  she  said 
heartlvMsly,  but  she  had  forgotten  what  long-suf- 
fering organs  children's  stomachs  are,  and  the 
nutritious,  woU-cooked  food  was  not  Ukely  to 
give  them  any  trouble  save  a  trifling  feeling  of 
discomfort  where  they  were  hedged  in  with  tight 
waistbands. 

Angela  watched  the  hist  one  disappear  from 
sight,  and  then  turned  her  own  face  homewards 
with  a  rather  lonely  feeling. 


^ 


70 


AKGBLA's  tea  PABTIB8, 


1    t 


"If  I  could  only  have  a  few  of  them  stay 
here,"  she  confided  to  Martha,  "for  some  of 
them  have  such  poor  homes  and  food.  If  it 
weren't  for  Lindsay  I  would  keep  a  few  of  them, 
for  we  have  so  much  more  than  we  need." 

"  But  she  looks  well  after  your  money,  and 
when  you  are  grown  up  they  say  you'll  be  a  great 
heiress;  and  folks  always  make  a  time  over 
them,  you  know." 

"  I  hope  I  will  be  very  rich  when  I'm  a  woman ; 
one  can  do  such  quantities  of  things.  Why,  if  I 
had  a  great  deal  of  money  I  might  have  a  picnic 
every  week." 

Martha  smiled,  but  did  not  acquaint  her  with 
the  fact  that  a  great  deal  oi  money  would  not  be 
required  in  order  to  do  this. 

"  If  I  do  grow  to  be  a  woman  and  can  do  just 
as  I  like  I  shall  help  people  all  the  time.  It  was 
so  delightful  for  the  Lord  Jesus  that  he  could  do 
that.     I  do  not  think  he  studied  very  much  either 

not  after  he  was  twelve  years  old.     He  seemed 

to  do  nothing  but  go  about  to  do  good  to  the  sick 
and   hungry.     What  large   picnics  he  used   to 

have." 

"  Certainly  you  should  wish  to  be  like  Him, 

for  he  is  our  Saviour." 

"  But  do  we  know  any  one  who  does  as  He 


did? 


try  v« 

churcl 

eveaii 

lovely 

their 

there' 

Eaglii 

know, 

they  J 

and  n 

said: 

thingf 

say. 

there 

"I 

Why, 

ings 

poor{ 

picnit 

body 

only 

place 

place 

fashi( 

abov( 


^'m^ 


1 


akoisla's  tea  pahtibs. 


<lid?    A  great  many  people  say  in  meeting  that 
they  want  to  be  like  Him,  but  I  don't  think  they 
try  very  hard.     I  am  very  much  surprised  at 
church  members.     I  have  heard  them  on  Sunday 
evenings  in  the  church  in  Longhurst  talking  so 
lovely  about  bearing  their  cross  and  following 
their  Master,  and  J.  used  to  think  the  people 
there  were  most  like  the  angels,  but  I  asked  Mrs. 
English  who  comes  to  help  at  the  Pines,  you 
know,  when  there  is  extra  cleaning  to  be  done,  if 
tihey  helped  her  and  other  poor  women  much, 
and  visited  them  wnen  they  were  sick,  and  she 
said:  'Laws I  no.  Miss;  they  don't  sense  such 
things;   aiid  then  they  haven't  the  time,  they 
gay.     There's  only  one  or  two  well-to-do  women 
there  who  take  much  real  notice  of  poor  people.' " 
"  I  could  have  told  you  more  than  that  myself. 
Why,  if  you'd  watch  them  when  there  is  any  do- 
ings in  the  place,  the  rich  go  together  and  the 
poor  go  by  themselves.     They  have  Sunday-school 
pionios,^  but  my  I  they're  such  stuck-up  affairs  a 
body  would  as  soon  take  their  bite  down  cellar, 
only  f  >r  the  cheap  ride  in  the  cars  to  another 
place ;  one  likes  to  get  a  view  of  all  the  new 
places  they  can;  it's  next  thing  to  seeing  the 
fashion ;  but  if  I  was  rich,  and  just  a  little  bit 
above  them,  wouldn't  I  pay  them  back  I " 


>^m-  __    «^ 


jM'4 


Nil! 


72 


AKOELA*B  TBA  PARTIES. 


»♦  Do  you  tbink  the  Lord  will  take  those  people 
to  Heaven  when  they  die?  They  are  not  the 
least  like  him,"  Angela  said.  This  was  an  en- 
tirely new  and  startling  view  of  the  case  which 
had  never  before  presented  itself  to  her  mind. 

"Of  course  they  will  go  to  Heaven;  whole 
churchfuls  of  people  couldn't  be  sent  anywhere 
else,  you  know,"  Martha  said  cheerfully. 

*'I  am  not  sure  about  it ;  and  isn't  it  a  dread- 
fid  thing  if  they  are  mistaken  about  the  way 
they  are  going?  but  the  little  children  will  all 
be  sure  to  go  to  Heaven.  1  think  that  is  the 
reason  so  many  of  them  die  off. ' 

"  That  is  rt  comfortable  way  to*look  at  it,  I  am 
sure ;  but,  bless  me !  just  see  the  dishes  I  have  to 
wash ;  I  won't  want  to  live  with  you  when  you 
are  a  woman  if  you  have  picnics  every  week." 

"  I  will  help  you  to  wash  them,"  Angela  said 
plaintively.  The  excitement  had  sustained  her 
through  the  unusual  exertions  of  the  day,  but  the 
sight  of  those  dishes  would  be  discouraging  to 
the  most  industrious  of  girls,  and  Angela  cer- 
tainly was  not,  for  she  disliked  dishwashing  next 
to  study.  Lindsay  came  to  the  rescue,  so  that 
Angela's  services  were  not  needed,  and  soon 
kitchen  and  pantry  were  restored  to  their  normal 
condition  of  perfect  neatness. 


*A 


5- '•-•■■■■'/■ 


'9li.''\ 


CHAPTER  V. 


FESTIVAL    TIMES. 


Dokald's  progress,  under  Ws  new  teacher  was 
phenomenal.     At  ^^rst  he  was  eager  to  study  those 
subjects  mainly  that  had  to  do  with  his  favorite 
pursuit,  but  as  his  vision  broadened  he  saw  that 
for  a  perfect  mastery  of  even  one  scientific  pur- 
suit elementary  study  of  all  kinds  was  necessary. 
With  the  self-control  that  was  habitual  to  him  he 
set  himself  resolutely  to  pursuing  the  regular 
course  necessary  to  make  him  a  well-equipped 
scholar,  only  giving  himself  up  in  moments  of 
leisure  to  what  was  really  the  single  passion  of 
his  life.     Angela  began  to  lose  her  interest  in  his 
pet  study  when  she  saw  him  so  absorbed  in  Latin 
and  Greek,  and  the  natural  sciences,  for  he  had 
boldly  plunged  into  everything  his  teacher  was 
able  or  willing  to  teach  him ;  soon  her  enthusiasm 
in  her  apt  pupil  was  so  keen  Angela  was  in  danger 
of  being  neglected. 

T8 


iA  .... 


:"4'*^-.v; 


74 


FESTIVAL  TIMES. 


'!      1 


The  harvest  fraits  were  stored,  and  the  early 
snows  began  to  fleck  the  gray  meadows,  but 
Donald  still  continued  his  search  for  specimens. 
He  found  in  those  volumes  borrowed  from  the 
library  at  the  Pines  so  many  varieties  of  insects 
and  creeping  things  pictured  which  he  had  not 
yet  discovered,  that  he  was  unwilling  to  give  up  the 
search  until  the  frozen  ground  finally  compelled 
him  to  desist.  Some  mornings  he  would  come  to 
school  pinched  with  the  cold,  having  been  out 
searching  for  specimens  since  sunrise.  His  par- 
ents had  all  the  Scottish  reverence  for  the  student 
and  scholar,  hence,  when  it  had  been  finp'lv  de- 
cided that  he  was  to  be  educated  -very  few  dr  cies 
were  demanded  of  liim,  and  he  was  allowed  to  be 
pretty  much  his  own  master  —  a  freedom  there 
was  little  danger  of  his  abusing. 

The  gain  to  Angela  in  having  him  in  the  school- 
~  room  became  more  manifest  when  he  came  closer 
to  her  in  those  studies  in  which  she  had  got  the 
start  of  him  by  months  and  even  years.  She 
found  it  a  very  gracious  task  helping  him  in 
difficult  places ;  to  assume  the  role  of  teacher  to 
one  8o  clever  and  independent  was  particularly 
gratifying.  As  Christmas  diew  near  the  prospect 
of  this  state  of  affairs  continuing  grew  very  faint ; 
it  was  with  extreme  satisfaction  her  teacher  saw 


*IKtEi;il..UUJ^c.. 


-*■'  -.1 


O  .    '  *  "    ': 


FESTIVAL  TIMBS. 


76 


that  Angela  was  becoming  more  eager  for  study ; 
even  Lindsay  noticed  the  change,  although  she 
was  too  set  in  her  opposition  to  having  Donald 
there  to  acknowledge  it.    Lindsay  was  a  born 
aristocrat  in  all  her  views,  although  she  came  of 
a  line  of  peasant  ancestors  dating  back  to  the 
e:.iiie8t  recollection   of  her  great-grandmother, 
whom  she  had  heard  in  childhood  recounting  the 
struggles  o2  her  grandparents  to  keep  their  little 
ones  from  suffering  with  cold  and  hunger.     This 
must  have  been  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  before  Lindsay's  advent  on  the  scene  of 
earthly  turmoil,  but  some  trace  of  that  ancient 
fight  for  life  may  still  have  influenced  her,  for 
her  instincts  were  exceedingly  thrifty ;    so  much 
so  that  she  could  not  part  with  a  banknote  with- 
out a  struggle.     But  she  was  honest,  and  so  far 
as  her  light  went,  conscientious  and  true*  as  steel 
to  a  charge  committed  to  her  trust.     It  was 
because  of  these  qualities  that  she  had  been  so 
long  retained  in  the  comfortable  nest  she  first 
dropped  into  when  she  crossed  the  seas. 

At  Christmas  there  was  a  round  of  parties 
given  for  the  young  folk  in  Longhurst,  to  sev- 
eral of  which  Angela  was  invited  and  very  inju- 
diciously on  Lindsay's  part,  encouraged  to  attend. 
The  latter  was  very  aiudons  to  have  her  charge 


76 


FESTIVAL  TIlfKS. 


i'    '.  3 


„J!fk  '\„'"'  -»  f'^ilwh  nr.Jons  ab  ut  dut^,  and 
^j^jj^ffijldl^Vifr  ht'<n-  f  "vul  means  so  largely  to  help  others ; 
^HB^'I  ve'  their  way  for  preachers  and  their 

wives,  o.  dister  Charity,  but  extremely  out  of 
place  in  a  young  crt:.iture  budding  into  woman- 
hood, whose  income  and  ancestry  were  alike  in 
advance  of  any  other  young  maiden's  in  all  that 
section  of  country.  Althotigh  Lindsay  had  noth- 
ing special  to  boast  of  in  her  own  forefathers, 
she  had  adopted  all  of  Angela's,  and  took  ten 
times  the  satisfaction  out  of  them  that  the  rightful 
heir  of  their  excellencies  did,  making  it  occasion- 
ally very  uncomfortable  for  the  Longhurst  ladies 
with  whom  it  was  her  privilege  occasionally  to 
exchange  civilities,  by  talking  more  than  good 
taste  required  of  birth  and  ancestry  and  such 
tantalizing  topics,  since  they  hkA  not  inherited 
anything  special  in  thai  line.  It  could  not  be 
matter  for  surprise  under  the  circumstances  that 
Lindsay  wa8  not  a  favorite  in  Longhurst,  but 
there  was  not  A  lady  there  who  did  not  covet  the 
privilege  of  paying  an  occasional  visit  to  the  Fines, 
since  there  was  no  other  house  like  it  within  their 
reach,  and  for  the  more  imaginative  ones  among 
them  an  afternoon  spent  in  those  rooms,  so  re- 
fined and  elegant  because  of  their  belongings, 
was  a  treat  not  duplicated  elsewhere. 


"jf 


PB8TIVAL  TIMlS. 


77 


A  large  party  gathered  in  those  ohanning  rooms 
was  an  expurionce  the  best  of  them  coveted,  and 
during  this  winter  Lindsay  permitted  herself  the 
luxury  of  several  such  festive  seasons,  of  course 
£;iven  in  Angela's  name,  but  she  was  herself  really 
the  presiding  genius  and  very  graciously  and  with 
great  dignity  did  she  dispense  the  hospitality  of 
the  Pines.  Angela  did  not  dislike  entertaining, 
for  it  gave  her,  so  she  fancied,  the  opportunity 
of  helping  people  to  have  a  good  time,  but  the 
retui-n  of  hospitalities,  the  labor  of  which  devolved 
solely  on  her,  since  Lindsay  never  indulged'  her- 
self in  so  much  as  a  neighborly  tea  drinking,  was 
very  irksome.  Angela  confided  to  Donald,  when- 
ever she  found  him  sufficiently  alive  to  such  trivi- 
alities her  dislike  of  Longhurst  merrymakings. 

One  day  she  was  particularly  disgusted  with 
the  whole  thing,  for  she  had  been  up  l&te  the 
night  before,  and  beside  had  found  the  evening 
particularly  dull  spent  among  people  all  of  them 
older  than  herself  and  none  of  them  specially  anx- 
ious to  amuse  a  child  like  her,  for  whom,  if  Lindsay 
had  not  been  so  blinded  by  prejudice,  the  bed 
would  have  been  the  most  suitable  place.  She 
went  to  Donald  for  sympathy,  describing  her  oft- 
recurring  trials  in  the  matter,  adding  with  amus- 
ing frankness : 


™B!HHBW==^ 


\ 


78 


PE8TIVAL  TIMES. 


>  'I 


♦♦  To  think  of  forcing  a  child  like  me  to  endure 
those  late  hours  and  all  the  silly  talk  I  Yiu  have 
no  idea  how  silly  everything  is ;  really  I  would 
sooner  be  with  your  bugs,  for  if  they  were  too 
tiresome  I  could  throw  them  out  of  the  house." 

"You  will  get  to  like  it  after  awhile;  girls 
always  do,"  he  remarked  indifferently. 

"  There  is  no  one  to  be  sorry  if  I  should  ;  no 
one  but  the  Lord,"  she  corrected. 

"Yes,  there  is  one  would  be  sorry,"  he  said, 
looking  at  her  more  intently  than  was  usual  with 
him  to  regard  any  object  save  some  insect  or 

bug. 

"Would  you  be  sorry?"  she  asked  wi^ully. 

"  I  would ;  when  I  get  my  own  house  you  are  the 
only  person  I  want  to  come  near  it.  Of  course 
my  own  folks  must  come,  because  we  are  the 
same  family  —  but  you  will  come  as  my  friend. 
No  friends  can  be  nearer  to  each  other  than  you 
and  I  shall  always  be,  now  and  always." 

"  O,  Donald !  do  you  really  like  me  better  than 
any  one  outside  of  your  own  family?"  she  asked 
joyously. 

"  That  wouldn't  be  saying  much  for  the  way  I 
like  you.  I  wonder  who  there  is  around  here 
that  I  sho^'d  care  particularly  for?" 

Her  face  lost  some  of  its  brightness  as  she 


■illf 


■r  ■  i'>»m.anff:v-;wfflst:ni^-?«tffl^  -• 


■ililHHi 


tm 


mm 


mmm 


m^ 


VKffnVAL  TIMES. 


79 


said,  "Just  for  a  Becond  or  two  I  thouglit  per- 
haps you  did  care  a  great  deal  for  me." 

♦»  Well,  8o  I  do  —  more  than  for  any  one  else  in 
the  world,"  he  said,  almost  angrily.  Boylike, 
he  did  not  care  for  these  sentimental  episodes 
that  were  very  well  for  girls,  but  quite  beneath 
the  dignity  of  a  boy. 

"Why,  Donald!  you  do  not  like  me  better 
than  your  own  mother?"  There  was  pain  as 
well  as  reproof  in  the  tones  of  her  voice. 

»  One  can't  help  their  liking ;  I  don't  have 
to  try  to  like  you,  it  comes  to  me  the  same  as 
breathing ;  but  there,  don't  let  us  ever  talk  about 
these  things  as  long  as  we  live.  I  shall  always 
feel  the  same  way  towards  you,  and  it  is  just 
fciolishnesB  to  be  talking  about  it." 

»  You  will  let  me  send  you  to  college,  and  by 
and  by  to  Germany  —  you  say  you  are  bound  to 
go  there  some  time." 

"Well,  so  I  am,  but  a  girl  is  not  going  to 

send  me." 

"  If  I  was  the  girl,  Donald,  it  would  be  all 
right,  wouldn't  it?  It  will  be  lovely  to  have  you 
do  the  studying  for  both  of  us.  After  you  learn 
all  that  Miss  Buckingham  can  teach  you  I  won't 
go  to  any  more  expense  for  my  own  education, 
and  shall  lay  out  all  the  money  on  you." 


V 


80 


FESTIVAL  TIMB8. 


*'  I  shall  not  renpeot  you  if  you  oeaae  studyinfi; 
and  grow  up  an  ignorant  woman,  and  liking  don't 
amount  to  very  much  where  there  is  no  ronpect.  I 
shall  want  my  best  f  riond  to  be  able  to  talk  with  mo 
on  the  subjects  that  I  think  most  about.  Women 
don't  amount  to  much  just  to  look  at,  no  matter 
how  beautiful  they  may  be  —  there  is  something 
finer  needed  than  white  and  pink  flesh  and  protty 
features.  One's  soul  need  never  grow  u}>[ly  and 
wrinkled  like  the  body  when  it  gets  old." 

'*  If  I  must  be  a  scholar  couldn't  we  go  to 
college  together  ?  "  she  said  rather  hopelessly. 

*'  I  suppose  so,"  was  the  uncompromising  raply. 

"  And  I  can  pay  all  the  expenses  ?  " 

**  No,  indeed  ;  I  shall  do  that  myself.  It  will 
take  longer,  but  when  I  am  a  man  I  want  to  be 
a  genuine  one,  and  not  have  any  person  who  has  a 
claim  on  my  brains  or  body." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  If  the  grocer  and  butcher  fed  me  for  nothing 
I  can't  understand  why  they  wouldn't  own  my 
bones  and  flesh,  since  their  provisions  built  my 
body  up ;  and  it  would  be  ju^t  the  same  with 
my  knowledge  if  some  one  else  paid  the  bills." 

''  You  are  going  to  make  a  very  bright  man, 
you  go  so  far  down  into  things ;  it  tires  me  to 
follow  you." 


/I 


■■T"' 


FB8TIVAL  TUiXB.  U. 

Angela  was  disooumged  at  the  tone  the  oon* 
veraation  hud  taken,  and  but  for  his  asauranoe 
that  she  stood  first  in  his  affections  she  wouhl 
have  felt  oven  worse ;  but  she  resolved  by  some 
means  or  other  to  be  worthy  of  his  regard,  in 
that  coming  time  when  he  was  to  be  so  wise  in 
all  his  gathered  stores  of  knowledge. 

Angela's  dislike  of  the  Longhurst  festivities  in 
nowise  lessened.  To  be  forced  to  sit  up  late  at 
night,  and  wear  uncomfortably  tight  clothes,  did 
not  afford  her  half  so  much  oomfcrt  as  visiting  at 
the  Wardells'  in  her  every-day  dress,  talking  with 
David  about  the  dead  and  gone  heroes  that  he 
loved  so  well,  and  who  while  he  talked  about 
them,  ceased  to  be  the  dusty  time-cm-od  individ- 
uals she  studied  about  in  history,  i)ut  live  men 
whom  she  could  admire  or  despise  as  really  as  the 
people  she  saw  every  day.  He  cast  the  spell  of 
life  about  them,  and  as  he  talked  over  the  heroic 
or  contemptible  deeds  they  had  done  she  would 
feel  her  blood  tingle  with  enthusiasm,  and  for- 
getting her  dislike  of  labor,  would  resolve  to 
perform  heroic  deeds  herself  some  day. 

With  regret  she  thought  of  Lindsay's  con- 
tempt of  the  Wardells,  and  did  not  know  that 
she  had  no  rule,  save  that  of  sight,  by  which 
to  talce  people's  ?<  casure,  hence  fine  houses  and 


I 


/T 


ii'iiiiii»i' 


FESTIVAL  TDUCS. 


|0?i 


equipages  dazzled  her,  and  since  the  Wardells 
were  entirely  deficient  in  these  it  was  quite  be- 
yond her  powers  to  estimate  them  justly.  But 
the  epidemic  of  tea  parties  exhausted  itself  after 
a  time,  and  Angela  was  freed  from  the  unwelcome 
and  uLuecessary  discipline. 

Her  mind  about  this  time  was  subject  to  very 
frequent  changes.  At  times  she  would  resolve  to 
be  a  genuine  student,  and  then  she  would  fall  into 
a  less  heroic  mood  and  conclude  that  she  could 
live  very  respectably  on  a  small  stock  of  knowl- 
edge since  she  had  more  tiian  the  average  share 
of  worldly  substance.  But  as  she  watched  Donald 
as  the  months  wore  around  she  grew  ashamed  of 
herself.  His  appetite  for  knowledge  seemed,  if 
anything,  to  increase,  and  seeing  him  work  with 
such  intensity  of  purpose  was  like  an  appealing 
conscience.  When  she  was  inclined,  as  was  too 
frequently  the  case,  to  indulge  in  her  favorite 
occupation  of  building  air  castles,  a  glance  across 
the  room  at  his  tabic  strewed  with  books,  and  the 
clear-cut,  determined  face  bending  above  them, 
would  bring  her  suddenly  down  to  the  actualities 
of  the  present.  Altogether,  it  was  a  great  reliel 
to  her  when  the  midsummer  holidays  arrived.  It 
was  such  a  comfort  to  know  that  jidlicv  her 
teacher  nor  any  one,  save  Donald,  expected  her 


••-.msti--::  c  iij 


FESTIVAL  TIMES. 


88 


to  look  inside  of  alesBon  book.  She  saggeBted 
to  him  the  last  day  of  school,  that  they  put  away 
their  books  together  —  an  act  of  thoughtfulness 
thut  he  did  not  appreciate. 

"  Do  yon  thinik  I  am  going  to  lose  over 
two  months?"  he  asked  with  a  good  deal  of 
impatience. 

"  Why,  certainly  not ;  there  won't  be  any  part 
of  the  year  that  I  shall  live  more  really  than  that 
time,  I  shall  take  it  to  get  better  acquainted 
with  people  and  the  outdoor  world,"  Angela  aaid 
stoutly.  "  One  needs  to  know  about  such  things 
more  than  bookf ." 

*'■  I  know  as  much  about  people  as  I  want  to 
without  taking  two  solid  months  to  study  them 
up.  You  can  find  out  all  about  them  easier  than 
what  I  want  to  know  more  about.  If  you  know 
one  person  well  that  is  about  all  you  need  to  study 
in  that  species;  but  see  how  many  varieties  of 
insects  and  bugs  there  are." 

"  When  you  get  into  psychology  and  anatomy 
and  all  those  studies  about  our  bodies  you  will 
find  beetles  and  butterflies  are  nowhere  in  com- 
parison with  men.  Indeed  we  are  a  long  way 
ahead  of  them." 

"  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  find  out  about 
a  great  many  things  that  puzzle  me  before  Miss 


84 


FESTIVAL  TIMES. 


I  :.  .;ii 


Buckingham  comes  back.  I  often  wish  I  had 
been  born  five  thousand  years  ago ;  been  one  of 
Adam's  grandsons.  They  had  such  a  long  time 
to  study.  It  discourages  me  when  I  think  how 
much  there  is  to  be  found  out  and  what  a  little 
while  we  have  to  do  it  in." 

"I  never  feel  that  way;  for  my  part 'I  am 
very  content  not  to  know  about  everything ;  the 
people  who  are  all  the  time  studying  are  a  dry 
lot,  I  think  ;  they  do  not  get  no  much  good  out 
of  their  life  as  the  ones  who  take  things  easy; 
they  are  all  the  time  so  hurried  for  want  of  time, 
they  never  can  loiter  along  and  let  quiet,  peaceful 
thoughts  creep  into  their  hearts." 

"  That  is  wh  lire  your  greatest  mistake  is.  Why, 
as  J.  sit  here  studying  I  could  not  have  believed  any 
one  could  be  so  happy.  It  seems  sometimes  as  if 
great  worlds  of  thought  were  opening  out  to  me. 
Oh  1  it  is  grand  to  "  —  he  stopped  abruptly. 

"  To  what  ?  "  Angela  asked  curiously. 

"  To  know  that  you  have  thoughts  of  your  own, 
and  that  you  can  train  them  to  take  hold  on  the 
highest,  and  not  sink  in  the  mire." 

"Well,  I  mean  to  get  acquainted  with  this 
world,  and  to  take  all  the  govl  out  of  it  that  I 
am  L'  ^^  and  then  when  I  go  to  another  world 
where  things  never  come  to  an  end,  I  will  study 


N4: 


FESTIVAL  TIMES. 


85 


better.  One  can  never  feel  hurried  in  eternity ; 
and  then  I  have  decided  while  I  am  here  to  help 
others;  to  get  people  to  be  good.  You  know 
one  can't  be  everything  and  do  everything  when 
time  is  sc  short,  and  it  isn't  as  if  there  was  no 
eternity  coming." 

"  And  won't  you  try  to  be  a  scholar  ?  "  Plainly 
he  strongly  desired  her  to  accompany  him  along 
those  upward  paths. 

*^  O,  yes  I  just  a  comfortable  sort  of  one.  I 
shall  know  a  little  about  a  great  many  things, 
but  I  do  not  think  you  should  ask  me  to  be  a 
great  scholar.  God  does  not  create  every  one 
alike,  and  I  am  not  thirsty  for  knowledge,  like 
you.  There  are  butterflies  as  well  as  bees,  and 
God  made  them  both.  It  would  be  silly  for  the 
butterfly  to  try  to  make  honey  and  wax.  Why, 
it  couldn't  possibly  do  it,  and  neither  can  I  write 
Shakespeare's  Sonnets  or  another  Paradise  Lost. 
I  am  just  myself  and  I  am  not  going  to  snap  the 
strings  of  my  mind  trying  to  be  )irhat  I  am  not." 

"  You  might  do  a  great  deal  if  you  would  only 
try." 

"  Why,  Donald,  I  have  been  trying  ever  since 
you  came,  and  I  mean  to  study  some  more  yet." 

She  spoke  very  encouragingly,  but  Donald 
looked  far  fi-om  satisfied,  as  he  said :  <'  You  have 


'**j»''^ 


;:t'^:<«?'. 


80  FBBTrVAL  TIMES. 

hardly  beg^n  and  yet  yon  speak  as  if  you  were 
nearly  done  studying ;  but  I  won't  coax  you  any 
more,  only  you  cannot  be  my  real  friend  if  you  are 
ignorant.  You  can  only  come  up  to  me  for  a 
certain  distance  —  the  rest  I  should  be  alone." 

He  left  the  room  abruptly,  giving  her  no  time 
to  reason  further,  neither  would  he  permit  himself 
to  bo  drawn  into  a  similar  arg^ument.  Angela 
was  provoked  with  herself  for  feeling  so  disturbed 
at  Donald's  words,  and  tried  to  assure  herself 
that  it  need  not  make  very  much  difference  if  he 
did  not  classify  her  friendship  very  highly,  since 
there  would  be  plenty  of  people  left,  but  she  could 
not  succeed  in  her  efforts,  and  the  result  was  that 
she  regretfully  brought  her  books  out  and  shut- 
ting herself  up  for  a  couple  of  hours  every  morn- 
ing she  set  herself  resolutely  to  studying.  After 
awhile  she  grew  to  enjoy  those  hours  of  work, 
idle  enjoyment  began  to  grow  monotonous  and 
unfortunately  for  her  there  vu'e  not  sick  and 
poor  people  enough  in  her  neighborhood  to  take 
much  of  her  time,  since  poor  people  had  other 
duties  to  do  beside  being  entertained  by  benevo- 
lent damsels,-  and  the  very  few  invalids  in  their 
vicinity  preferred  to  be  left  alone  for  part  of  the 
time.  She  felt  it  a  grievance  at  times  that  there 
was  so  little  misery  for  her  to  relieve,  so  few 


■.^Jii!.wp'iwjiwij^'  '■^i^'f^mmmm^g^" 


"mmmmmf* 


FESTIVAL  TIM»S. 


m 


«ofrowful  hearts  for  her  to  comfort  with  a  gift 
of  flowers  or  some  of  Lindsay's  excellent  preserves, 
and  she  quite  envied  those  people  in  story  books 
wbc  had  such  quantities  of  work  ready  provided 
for  them. 

One  day  when  Donald  came  up  for  a  book  she 
detained  him  long  enough  to  ask  if  he  did  not 
think  it  a  great  pity  that  she  did  not  have  the 
chance  to  do  good  like  people  in  books.  He 
seemed  to  be  studying  the  pfvttem  of  the  carpet 
very  critically,  but  he  was  actually  battling  with 
himself  to  keep  from  laughing  outright.  It 
struck  him  as  exceedingly  comical  to  hear  this 
bright  young  cr«iature  mourning  over  the  fact 
that  she  could  not  throw  herself  into  the  vortex 
of  misery  in  lome  great  city's  slums — she  who 
had  never  seen  a  worse  case  of  misery  than  a 
flick  neighbor,  who  might  certainly  be  somewhat 
affected  by  poveriy;  but  who  nevertheless  knew 
little  of  actual  need.  He  raised  hh  eyes  at  last 
and  looked  at  her  closely  for  a  few  seconds,  and 
then  said : 

"  I  made  up  my  mind  the  last  time  we  were 
talking  never  to  say  anything  more  to  you  about 
studying ;  this  can't  be  said  to  be  on  that  subject 
exactly,  but  I  will  say  that  it  seems  to  me  that 
the  work  the  Lord  mostly  wauts  you  to  do  just 


■  I 


88 


FBSTIVAL  TIMES. 


■   t'l 


now  is  to  get  yourself  ready  against  the  time  that 
work  actually  comes  to  you.  I  am  not  much  of 
a  judge  of  such  things,  only  as  far  as  I  have 
road,  but  I  have  an  idea  that  people  do  not  beg^u 
to  do  much  towards  evangelizing  the  world  either 
at  your  age  or  mine.  A  few  centuries  ago  the 
little  children  in  Europe  started  on  a  Crusade  to 
rescue  the  Saviour's  tomb  from  barbarians,  but 
the  only  Jerusalem  they  reached  was  the  Heavenly 
one.  No  doubt  the  Lord  recdived  them  very 
kindly  as  the  tired,  starving  creatures  went 
thronging  heavenwards,  but  I  think  if  he  had 
been  on  the  earth  he  would  have  ad^^^sed  them  to 
let  the  barbarians  keep  his  empty  tomb,  and  for 
them  to  stay  at  home  with  their  parents  until 
they  were  old  enough  i-eally  to  begin  work." 

"How  beautifully  you  can  talk  for  one  so 
young ;  I  most  think  you  ought  to  be  a  preacher." 
Angela  thought  it  was  as  well  to  turn  the  con- 
versation ;  the  look  of  disgust  on  Donald's  face 
at  her  remark  made  her  desire,  however,  to  mol- 
lify him  directly,  but  he  took  his  book  and  left 
immediately. 

Occasionally  he  used  to  permit  Angela  and  his 
o-ra  sisters  to  accompany  him  on  exploring  expe- 
ditions. Angela  used  to  enjoy  those  occasions 
more  than  any  of  them,  probably.    They  used  to 


be  gone  i 
never  see 
over-patiei 
matter  ho 
trudge  br 
for  her  w< 
ship  Dona 
She  alwa^ 
luncheon, 
to  partake 
oise  and  f  i 
would  nev( 
have  a  sni 
pockets,  a 
of  his  spe 
pocket  wit 
well  when 
to  be,  wht 
knoll  or  t 
half-hour 
moments  c 
for  hours, 
with  Dona 
which  theji 
On  sue 
not  being 
reply  to  hi 


FESTIVAL  TIMES. 


89 


be  gone  fw  hours.  He  was  a  merciless  leader, 
never  seeming  to  feel  fatigue  himself,  and  not 
over-patient  with  others  if  they  complained.  No 
matter  how  tired  she  might  be,  Angela  used  to 
trudge  bravely  at  his  side,  feeling  richly  repaid 
for  her  weary  marches  by  the  friendly  comrade- 
ship Donald  invariably  showed  on  such  occasions. 
She  always  went  provided  with  a  basketful  of 
luncheon,  of  which  she  and  the  two  little  girls  used 
to  partake  with  the  relish  begotten  of  the  exer- 
cise and  fragrant  smell  of  the  woods  ;  but  Donald 
would  never  share  her  good  things.  He  used  to 
have  a  supply  of  oat  cake  stowed  away  in  his 
pockets,  and  was  not  at  all  particular  when  some 
of  his  specimens  by  mistake  got  into  the  same 
pocket  with  his  lunch.  He  used  to  know  pretty 
well  when  Angela  was  about  as  tired  as  she  ought 
to  be,  when  he  would  sit  down  on  some  mossy 
knoll  or  recumbent  tree-trunk,  and  chat  for  a 
half-hour  or  so.  Those  were  the  most  delightful 
moments  of  all,  and  Angela  would. toil  on  wearily 
for  hours,  for  the  brief  recompense  of  talking 
with  Donald  about  the  wonders  of  the  world  in 
which  they  lived. 

On  such  occasions  she  was  mostly  a  listener, 
not  being  able  to  add  more  than  a  monosyllabic 
reply  to  his  remarks.     She  used  to  wish  that  it 


:     I, 


^■ 


90 


FESTIVAL  TIMES. 


was  not  BO  hard  to  be  bright  and  to  le«rn  about 
all  these  mysteries,  or  to  think  the  noble,  uplifting 
thoughts  that  Donald  indulged  in,  making  him  so 
indifferent  to  the  fact  that  his  father  was  poor 
and  their  lot  lowly.     She  used  to  fall  to  dreaming 
sometimes  after  the  conversation  was  ended,  and 
they  were  trudging  sturdily  along  over  ferns  and 
leaves,  and  all  the  wonderland  of  the  unbroken 
forest  about  them,  how  probably  the  boy  Homer 
or  young  Socrates  were  much  like  him  once,  in 
the  days  when  they  wandered  over  the  hillsides 
of  Greece,  their  minds  filled  with  just  such  high 
thoughts  as  to^ay  throbbed  and  pidsated  in  his 

heart. 

She  forgot  his  coarse  garments  and  the  abbre- 
viated limb  th?.t  forced  him  to  limp  rather  un- 
ftTacetully,  seeiug  in  him  only  the  scholar  and 
hero  that  he  was  yet  to  be.  She  used  to  wonder 
if  he  would  still  care  for  her  in  that  day  when 
he  took  his  ph«5e  among  the  leaders  of  thought  — 
would  still  remember  her;  but  might  it  not  be 
with  a  sort  of  pitying  contempt?  She  used  to 
make  some  very  resolute  promises  to  herself,  but 
they  were  easier  made  than  fulfilled. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MBB.  WILBUR  MOXTON'S  PLANS. 

"When  Miss  Buckingham  returned,  she  was 
agreeably  surprised  to  find  that  her  pupils  had 
continued,  to  some  extent,  their  studies  during 
the  holidaj^B.  Angela  confessed  frankly  that  the 
work  had  been  irksome. 

"  I  found  it  very  tiresome  at  first,"  she  said, 
«'  but  trfter  awhile  those  two  hours  I  spent  over 
my  books  were  the  best  of  the  day,  but  it  was 
only  after  they  were  ended  that  I  used  to  think 
BO ;  to  the  very  last  1  disliked  going  off  by  my- 
self and  studying.  It  seems  a  pity  that  we 
always  dread  a  duty,  especially  when  we  find  out 
that  the  doing  of  it  makes  us  happy." 

« It  seems  to  be  the  way  with  us  all  to  enjoy 
doing  our  own  pleasure,  rather  than  what  i?  our 
duty,  bat  it  is  possible  to  overcome  the  weakness ; 
and  every  time  you  do  so  conquer  self,  yooi  leave 
yourself  stronger  to  gain  future  victories." 

91 


= 


':^rf>^:; 


J0^, 


III 

'k    'It 


92 


MRS.  WILBUR  MOXION's  FLAN8. 


"But  it  is  very  Vn-eaome;  I  hope  we  won't 
need  such  discipline  in  the  next  world,"  Angola 
replied. 

"  Than  are  a  great  many  mysteries  to  be  solved 
in  that  other  world,  but  our  chief  duty  is  to  do 
our  part  well  in  this  world,  and  the  next  will  be 
all  right  with  us." 

It  required  a  good  deal  of  urging,  however, 
to  keep  Angela  in  the  mood  for  study,  and  at 
the  best,  the  acquiring  of  knowledge  was  uphill 
work  with  her. 

They  began  the  second  year  of  school  under 
very  comfortable  circumstances.  Donald  was 
anxious  to  take  the  preparatory  studies  for  ma- 
triculation at  college.  The  question  as  to  hovr 
he  was  to  secure  the  necessary  funds  for  this  was 
a  mystery  to  the  family  at  the  Pines,  but  they 
were  not  aware  of  the  sturdy  material  of  which 
the  lad  and  his  parents  were  made.  For  years 
Wardell  had  indulged  the  dream  that  some  day 
one  of  his  boys  would  be  called  from  the  plough 
to  fit  himself  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and 
for  this  time,  when  it  should  arrive,  he  and  his 
wife,  out  of  their  meager  income,  had  laid  by  a 
small  sum  each  year.  Donald  knew  nothing  of 
this,  and  was  not  expecting  much  help  from  his 
parents  —  only  so  far  as  they  would  provide  for 


% 


him  were 
heard  his 
the  sage 
such  good 
carrier  bit 
If  his  sple 
simple  far 
heroio  die! 
about  wha 
indifferent 
would  sub 
our  newer 
customed 
Donald  ne 

One  dai 
feeds  and  < 

"  I  can 
was  the  sti 

"But  t 
same  as  t 
college, 
black  the 

"  I  certi 
for  the  ch{ 

"  I  do  n 
work.  "W 
a  little  ash 


II 


MBB.   WILBDfi  MOXTON'b  PLANS. 


08 


him  were  he  •till  with  them.  Long  ago  he  had 
heard  his  father  describe  the  hardy  training  of 
the  sage  of  Chelsea,  who  studied  at  college  to 
such  good  effect  on  the  box  of  oaten  cakes  the 
carrier  brought  to  him  each  week  from  his  mother. 
If  his  splendid  brain  tissues  were  built  up  on  such 
simple  fare,  he  coidd  trust  himself  on  the  same 
heroic  diet.  Setting  his  mind  at  rest,  therefore, 
about  what  was  before  him,  he  studied  on  quite 
indifferent  to  the  hard  discipline  such  a  course 
would  subject  him  to  in  any  university  town  in 
our  newer  world.  Scottish  lads  were  better  ac- 
customed to  such  ways  than  American,  but 
Donald  neither  thought  nor  cared  for  this. 

One  day  Angela  said  to  him,  "  If  your  father 
feeds  and  clothes  you,  who  will  do  the  rest  ?  " 

"  I  can  saw  wood  and  do  plenty  of  things," 
was  the  sturdy  reply. 

"  But  they  do  not  burn  wood  nowadays  the 
same  as  they  did  when  Horace  Greeley  went  to 
college.  You  surely  would  not  scour  knives  and 
black  the  boots,  Donald  ?  " 

"  I  certainly  would,  and  be  very  much  obliged 
for  the  chance  if  they  would  pay  me  for  it." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  would  be  quite  respectable 
work.  Would  you  feel  hurt  if  I  should  be  just 
a  little  ashamed  of  you  for  doing  such  work  ?  " 


^rt^^^iAa^^Mi^ 


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94  MBS.  WILBUR  MOXTON'S  PLANS. 


"  I  should  indeed."  He  spoke  sternly ;  then 
after  a  constrained  pause,  he  added,  "  As  if 
blacking  boots  isn't  just  as  respectable  as  making 
them,  or  work  of  any  kind." 

*'  There  would  be  very  little  money  in  it,  and 
besides,  it  is  very  untidy  work ;  I  do  not  think 
YOU  know  much  about  it. 

Donald  looked  dubiously  at  his  boots,  and 
acknowledged  that  was  the  case. 

"6,  Donald!  if  you  only  would  borrow  the 
money  from  me." 

» I  might  die  before  I  got  my  debt  paid,  and 
then  you  would,  in  reality,  own  what  knowledge 
I  had  got  to  all  eternity."      • 

"  I  would  not  ask  for  better  pay  than  that,  for 
I  do  not  expect  to  own  much  if  I  have  to  get  it 

myself." 

Angela  spoke  eagerly. 

"Please  never  speak  of  such  a  thing  again, 
for  it  is  no  use." 

"  I  shall  send  you  lots  of  preserves  and  potted 
meats   to   eat   with    your   oat  cake,"   she   said 

decidedly. 

"  And  I  shall  eat  them  with  a  relish,  because 
they  will  make  you  seem  near,  for  when  I  am 
away  1  shall  miss  you  most  of  all." 

»'  You  won't  need  to  go  for  a  long  time  yet : 


M 
th 

St 

ne 

ha 
in 
th 
ps 

se 
fu 

wi 
ai 
of 
ill 

sa 

BC 

in 
in 
re 

at 
h 


Miss  Buckingham  says  not  for  another  year  after 
this,  and  then  you  will  be  able  to  '^ake  the 
Sophomore  year." 

His  face  lighted  up  as  he  said,  "  That  is  grand 


news, 

Angela  stood  still  to  look  at  him,  for  he,  too, 
had  suddenly  stopped  on  the  way  and  was  look' 
ing  dreamily  through  the  interlacing  leaves  into 
the  dense  forest  beyond,  a?,  if  he  saw  something 
particularly  beautiful  there. 

"We  need  not  begin  to  worry  about  being 
separated  for  a  long  time  yet,"  she  said  cheer- 
fully, "  and  maybe  if  I  am  very  lonely  I  may  go 
with  you ;  we  might  keep  house  with  Lindsay, 
and  you  could  help  me  with  my  studies  by  way 
of  paying  me,"  she  added  hastily,  seeing  the 
illuminated  look  suddenly  vanish  from  his  face. 

"I  shall  never  pay  my  debts  that  way,"  he 
said  quietly. 

"  Well,  I  scarcely  think  I  shall  go  to  college ; 
sometimes  I  am  afraid  there  is  not  room  enough 
in  my  head  for  all  the  knowledge  I  am  crowding 
in.  You  know  some  heads  haven't  much  spare 
room,"  she  added  apologetically. 

"  You  need  not  have  any  anxiety  on  that 
account ;  there  is  plenty  of  vacant  room  in  your 
head  yet." 


96 


MRS.   WILBm  MOXTON'S  PLANS. 


Angela  colored  slightly,  but  did  not  attempt 
to  contradict  him,  for,  unfortunately,  she  had 
learned  by  past  experience  that  she  was  sure  to 
get  worsted  in  an  argument.  Donald  was  always 
careful  not  to  begin  to  reason  about  anything, 
but  if  he  was  drawn  into  it,  he  was  certain  to  be 
sure  of  his  side,  and  to  that  he  would  stick,  no 
matter  who  his  opponent  might  be.  He  sturdily 
maintained  that  boys  had  just  the  same  rights  in 
this  respect  as  men. 

The  manner  of  conducting  their  affairs  at  the 
Pines  provoked  little  comment,  usually,  in  Long- 
hurst  ;  but  when  it  became  known,  after  the  lapse 
of  a  good  many  months,  that  Ahgela  had  admitted 
her   gardener's   son  to  equal   privileges  in  the 
schoolroom,  some  of  the  busybodies  (for  of  these 
social  excrescences  Longhurst  had  an  abundant 
supply)   undertook  to  regulate  matters.      Mrs. 
Wilbur  Moxton  was  the  first  to  interfere,  and 
with  her  it  was  more  a  personal  than  benevolent 
undertaking,  since  she  had  a  son  and  daughter  of 
her  own,  at  a  suitable  age  to  be  benefited  by  a 
teacher  of  such   acknowledged  ability  as  Miss 
Buckingham.     She  made  up  her  mind  decidedly 
that  young  Wardell  should  be  relegated  to  his 
proper  sphere,  and  her  own  children  put  in  his 
place.     She  went  early,  lest  some  other  designing 


mot 
to  s 
her 
exte 

C 
An| 
and 
Mo3 
coul 
and 
cons 
have 
of  tl 
appc 
with 

A 
with 
took 
sceni 
critii 
with 
ably 
cisio 
Will 
shou 
very 
Line 


^_ 


MRS.  WILBUE  MOXTON's  PLANS. 


97 


pt 
id 
to 

ys 

be 
no 

ily 

in 

)he 

»g- 
)se 

bed 

the 

ese 

mt 

[rs. 

md 

ent 

•of 

ya 

[iss 
dly 
his 
his 
ling 


mother  should  forestall  her,  but  it  was  not  merely 
to  secure  the  superior  educational  advantages  for 
her  children  that  she  planned,  other  and  more 
extended  possibilities  loomed  up  in  the  future. 

Only  a  short  time  now  would  elapse  until 
Angela  would  be  old  enough  to  think  of  lovers 
and  marriage,  and  when  that  period  arrived,  Mrs. 
Moxton  concluded  that  no  better  arrangement 
could  be  made  than  to  have  her  son  secure  Angela 
and  her  belongings.  To  further  this  desirable 
consummation,  it  would  be  wise,  she  decide^,  to 
have  them  thrown  together  in  the  close  intimacy 
of  the  schoolroom.  Certainly  her  son  Lewis  would 
appear  to  excellent  advantage  when  compared 
with  young  Wardell. 

As  she  walked  out  to  the  Fines  one  afternoon, 
with  this  laudable  end  in  view,  her  practical  gaze 
took  in  very  little  of  the  natural  beauty  of  the 
scene,  but  certainly  did  not  fail  to  notice  very 
critically  the  special  features  of  the  fine  property 
with  which,  at  no  distant  day,  Angela  would  prob- 
ably endow  some  fortunate  youth.  With  the  de- 
cision of  character  for  which  she  was  noted,  Mrs. 
Wilbur  Moxton  made  up  her  mind  that  her  son 
should  be  that  fortunate  individual.  It  would  be 
very  gratifying  in  the  coming  years,  to  acquaint 
Lindsay  with  the  fact  that  the  youthful  Moxtous, 


98 


MBS.   WILBUR  MCtoCTON's  PLANS. 


who  by  that  time  might  be  expected  on  the  scene, 
had  inherited  the  rich,  aristocratic  blood  of  the 
Marlowes. 

She  was  in  an  unusually  uplifted  frame  of 
mind  by  the  time  she  reached  the  vine-covered 
door,  and  stood  waiting  for  her  knock  to  be  re- 
sponded  to.  A  shadow  lengthening  across  the 
pathway  at  the  side  of  the  house  drew  her  atten- 
tion in  time  to  see  Donald  Wardell  pass  leisurely 
homewards,  an  open  book  in  his  hand,  in  which 
he  was  so  intently  absorbed  he  did  not  see  the 
visitor  who  was  busily  plotting  against  him. 

Angela   admitted  the  unexpected  visitor,  the 
latter  quite  overwhelming  the  girl  with  the  warmth 
of   her   greetings.     They  sat  chatting  for  some 
time  when  the  visitor  announced  her  intention  of 
remaining   for   tea,  an   announcement   that  re- 
minded Angela  of  her  own  lack  of  hospitality. 
Linsday  was  summoned,  but  first  she  made  ar- 
rangements for  a  most  excellent  repast,  and  then 
hastened  to  welcome  her  guest,  for  she  had  a  par- 
ticular liking  for  company,  and  tea  drinkings  in 
particuhir.     Mrs.  Wilbur  withheld  her  communi- 
cations untU  they  were  seated  around  the  tea- 
table,  and  Lindsay's  jellies  and  cold  meats  were 
being  satisfactorily  discussed,  when  she  delicately 
broached  the  subject  which,  now  that  the  moment 


had 
had 

oft 
the 

of : 

(I 

girl 
the 
hov 
her 

( 

not 
poli 

Loi 
ask 

anj 
hon 

be^ 

4 
( 

soci 
cou 

(I 


MBS.  WILBUB  MOXTON's  PLANS. 


99 


had  come,  was  a  more  formidable  task  than  she 
had  anticipated. 

'She  began  operationB  by  a  dolorous  description 
of  their  school  privileges  at  Longhurst,  especially 
the  deleterious  effect;  of  the  promiscuous  blending 
of  high  and  low. 

"  One  cannot  be  surprised  if  their  boys  and 
girls  pick  up  uncouth  gestures  and  slang  from 
the  children  of  day  laborers.  You  do  not  know 
how  rich  your  privileges  are,  Angela,  studying 
here  without  any  coarse  associates." 

"  I  have  company  in  the  schoolroom.  I  have 
not  studied  alone  for  a  year,"  Angela  said 
politely. 

"  Is  it  possible  any  of  our  young  folks  from 
Longhurst  have  been  coming  here?"  the  lady 
asked,  with  well-disguised  surprise. 

*'■  O,  no,  indeed !  some  one  much  brighter  than 
any  one  I  know  there,"  Angela  said,  with  more 
'  honesty  than  politeness. 

"  May  I  inquire  who  this  superior  youth  may 
be?" 

"  Donald  WardelL" 

"  Wardell !  strange  I  liave  never  met  them  m 
society.  Are  they  sti-angers  in  this  part  of  the 
country  ?  " 

'*  Why,  no,  indeed !     Did  you  never  hear  of 


100         MK8.  WILBtrn  MOXTON's  PliANS. 


our  David  Wardell  ?     Pie  has  been  at  the  Pines 
for  how  long,  Lindsay  ?  " 

"  More  than  fi -/e-and-twenty  years." 

"  Surely  the  lad  you  admit  to  such  privileges 
is  not  your  servant-man's  son  ?  "  she  cried,  with 
well-affected  horror. 

"  It  surely  is.  Angela  believes  he's  the 
makings  of  something  uncommon  ;  she'd  be  glad 
to  educate  him  right  through  college,  only  he's 
too  manly  to  let  her." 

"  And  is  it  possible  you  permit  such  intimacy 
between  her  and  one  so  far  beneath  her  ?  "  She 
looked  across  the  table  severely  at  Lindsay,  glad 
to  have  the  opportunity  of  paying  off  some  old 
debts,  for  Lindsay  never  seemed  capable  of  for- 
getting that  Mrs.  Wilbur's  origin  had  been  par- 
ticularly obscure,  even  for  Longhurst ;  but  Lind- 
say was  equal  to  the  occasion,  for  to  Angela's 
astonishment  she  undertook  Donald's  defense 
sturdily. 

"  The  lad's  as  well  behaved  and  civil  as  if  he'd 
been  your  own  brother,  ma'am ;  and  if  my  young 
lady  chooses  to  give  him  a  lift  with  his  learning, 
when  it  don't  cost  her  a  penny  to  do  so,  I  can't 
see  whose  business  it  is ;  besides,  David  Wardell 
is  a  decent  man,  and  as  honest  as  the  sun."  , 

Lindsay  looked  very  sternly  through  her  gold- 


nmi 
as  ii 
roua 
her 
mas 

but 

(( 

crip 
mas 
of  ^ 

(( 

othe 
the  I 
Lin( 
Wil 
swal 
amc 
who 
was 
into 

agai 

(( 

youi 

afte] 

«( 

folk 
full 


mmr 


MBB.    WILBUR  MOXTON'B  PLANS.         101 

rimmed  spectacles,  while  poor  Mrs.  Wilbur  looked 
as  if  she  would  have  enjoyed  giving  them  a  vigo- 
rous shaking  all  around,  but  she  wisely  restrained 
her  indignation ;  if  ever  her  son  Lewis  got  to  bo 
master  there  they  would  find  a  new  state  of  things, 
but  until  then  she  must  bide  her  time. 

"  I  must  say  it's  a  great  privilege  for  the  poor 
cripple.  Is  he  trying  to  fit  himself  for  a  school- 
master —  even  that  will  be  a  great  rise  for  one 
of  Warden's  family." 

"  I  can't  see  why  the  Wardells  are  not  as  good  as 
other  folks.  Most  of  us  in  Longhurst  come  from 
the  same  stock  he  does  —  good  working  people." 
Lindsay's  eyes  snapped  dangerously,  while  Mrs. 
Wilbur  for  the  second  time  was  compelled  to 
swallow  her  wrath  as  best  she  could.  She  waited 
a  moment  to  get  control  of  her  voice,  and  Angela, 
who  was  indignant  at  such  rudeness  to  a  guest, 
was  opening  her  mouth  to  divert  the  conversation 
into  other  channels  when  Mrs.  Moxton  began 
again : 

"  I  wish  I  could  get  my  Lewis  and  Helen  into 
your  school."  She  turned  to  Angela,  determined 
after  this  to  ignore  Lindsay. 

"  That  would  never  do ;  for  if  we  began  letting 
folks  send  their  children  here  we'd  have  a  houae 
full  in  no  time."     Lindsay  spoke  authoritatively. 


a 


102 


HUB.  WILDUB  MOXTOM  S  PLANS. 


"  But,  Lindsay,  if  Mrs.  Moxton  only  sends  two 
they  won't  fill  the  liouse,"  Angela  remonstrated. 
Not  that  she  was  particularly  anxious  to  have  the 
youthful  Moxtous  at  school,  indeed  she  would  have 
preferred  extending  the  privilege  to  soiae  others, 
if  granted  at  all,  but  Lindsay  had  been  so  out- 
spoken she  was  anxious  to  make  some  reparation. 

"  You  can  do  just  as  you  like  in  the  matter," 
Lindsay  said  severely.  "  We  forget  that  Miss 
Buckingham  is  the  one  who  should  first  have  been 
consulted." 

Angela  turned  to  her  teacher  with  a  faint  hope 
that  she  would  be  of  the  same  mind  as  Lindsay, 
but  Miss  Buckingham  gave  her  consent  at  once, 
and  so  it  was  decided  that  the  two  new  pupils 
were  to  come  the  following  Monday,  and  having 
gained  her  point  Mrs.  Moxton  left  directly. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


▲  PA88AOE   AT   ARMS. 


The  Moxtons  came  promptly  on  Monday  morn- 
ing. Hia  mother's  parting  cliarge  was :  "  Remem- 
ber that  you  are  a  Moxton,  and,  if  you  can  help 
it,  do  not  take  any  notice  of  that  WardcU.  Let 
Angela  Marlowe  see  how  you  despise  such  vulgar 
associates." 

Lewis  paid  attention  to  his  mother's  remarks 
and  resolved  to  put  them  in  practice.  Hitherto 
he  had  been  a  very  indifferent  student ;  he  exerted 
himself  more  about  the  correct  arrangement  of 
his  hair  than  the  interior  furnishing  of  his  head, 
and  was  more  interested  in  seeing  that  the  color 
of  his  necktie  harmonized  with  his  eyes,  than  to 
get  his  character  in  harmony  with  pure  and  en- 
nobling thing^.  His  mother's  spiritual  vision  was 
limited,  hence  she  was  so  well  satisfied  with  her 
son  she  believed  it  was  only  necessary  for  such 
a  superior  youth  to  be   associated  with  young 

lOB 


^1 


f 


104 


A  PAHHAOB  AT  AUMS. 


Wank'll,  for  Angola  to  bo  linprcHBcd  deeply  with 
liirt  ('xot'lleiico. 

When  he  entered  the  Hchoolroom  that  morning 
and  Huw  that  a  (rhair  and  table  luul  been  placed 
for  him  next  young  WardoU's  his  face  mirrored 
the  disguHt  he  felt  at  such  companionship,  and 
without  eouHulting  the  teatdier  he  moved  to  an- 
other i)art  of  the  room.  The  light  was  jK)or,  and 
ho  found  himself  t  o  near  the  stove  he  soon  got 
uncomfortably  warm,  bi't  he  mdintained  his  dig- 
nity and  sat  still.  He  roaolvod  on  the  following 
morning  to  be  on  hand  early  enough  to  secure 
the  coveted  seat  which,  at  the  expense  of  his 
morning's  naj),  ho  ac(H)mi)li8h('d,  but  only  to  be 
summarily  ordered  out  of  it  by  Angela  when  she 
came  into  the  room. 

♦'  Donald  has  the  first  right  to  everything  here, 
and  you  can  only  come  by  taking  second  best 
things,"  she  said  firmly. 

"Then  I  won't  come  at  all  —  to  have  that 
pauper  put  over  me." 

"  He  a  pauper  1  why,  he  will  be  worth  a  score 
of  you  when  you  are  men."  Angola  spoke  hotly, 
but  as  quickly  remenjbering  herself  said  :  "  I  am 
sorry  I  spoke  so  rudely.  I  know  it  is  not  what 
a  Christian  should  do.  Won't  you  forgive  me  ?  " 
There  were  tears  in  the  eyes  looking  into  his. 


"I 

give  n 

"V 

mindj 

sneaki 

if  Id< 

»^\ 

"T 

a  hurt 

gleam 
he  wil 

"I 
iiloi 

She 
shoes, 
she  aal 

"I 
he  8ai< 

"If 
break; 

"I 
same  J 
sideriM 
casioil 
it  bei 


A  PA8SA0B  AT  ARMS 


105 


"  Soo  hero,  I  will  if  you  lot  me  keep  this  Hoat," 

"  I  Hhall  uot  do  that,  even  if  you  do  not  for- 
give mo." 

'*  Very  well ;  I  will  take  the  other  seat,  but 
mind,  I'll  not  forfpvo  either  you  or  that  WardoU 
Hueak  either.  I  will  pay  him  up  for  this,  see 
if  I  don't." 

"  What  will  you  do  ?  "  she  asked  anxiously. 

"  ril  give  him  a  thrashing  ho  won't  forget  in 
a  hurry." 

"Maybe  he  will  thrash  you."  There  was  a 
gleam  in  lier  eyes  that  said  unmistakably,  "  I  hope 
he  will." 

''  I  can  manage  that  cripple  ;  I'll  eat  my  boots 
if  I  can't." 

She  looked  down  at  the  neat  patent  leather 
shoes.  "  You  will  boil  them  lirst,  won't  you  ?  " 
she  asked  rather  skeptically. 

"  I  won't  be  in  danger  of  having  to  eat  them," 
he  said  loftily. 

"  If  he  should  be  the  stronger  you  had  better 
break  your  promise  about  eating  them." 

"  I  never  break  a  prounse,"  he  said  with  the 
same  lofty  air,  his  last  assurance  raising  him  con- 
siderably in  her  estimation,  for  even  Donald  oc- 
casionally forgot  to  keep  an  appointment.  Could 
it  be  possible  this  highly  perfumed  youth  with 


UiS{i£SST«£C»£S.i£ 


^'fti^fAMoi- 


106 


A  PASSAGE  AT  ARMS. 


:i 


his  hair  parted  like  a  girl's  could  be  more  manly 
than  Donald? 

She  thought  over  their  respective  merits  that 
morning  more  than  was  really  good  for  her  lessons, 
and  began  to  wonder  if  boykind  generally  was 
a  better  class  of  beings  than  she  had  fancied, 
Donald  himself  striking  her  as  so  superior  because 
of  her  ignorance  of  them  as  a  class.  One  defect, 
however,  in  Lewis  was  patent  to  them  all,  his 
capacity  for  learning  being  even  poorer  than  her 
own.  He  was  at  least  two  years  behind  Donald 
in  his  studies,  but,  as  she  compared  the  two  lads, 
she  concluded  it  was  only  natural  Donald's  brains 
should  be  in  a  better  state  of  cultivatioii  sinoe 
he  spent  apparently  so  much  less  time  on  the 
Arisible  portion  of  his  being.  She  decided  that 
the  question  as  to  which  was  the  wiser  way,  must 
be  deferred  until  they  became  men,  when  the 
mystery  would  be  solved  by  their  comparative 
successes. 

Helen  Moxton  came  alone  to  school  the 
following  morning  and  brought,  in  Lewis' 
stead,  an  indignant  letter  from  his  mother,  de- 
manding expulsion  from  the  school  of  Donald 
Wardell.  When  Helen  was  asked  for  explana- 
tions she  gave  a  thrilling  account  o£  her  brother's 
disfigured  appearance. 


PASSAGB  AT  ARMS. 


*'  Both  of  his  eyes  are  black,  and  his  mouth 
is  swollen  out  of  all  shape.  Mother  has  been 
poulticing  him  ever  since  he  came  home  last 
night  after  dark." 

"  What  kept  him  so  late  ?  "  Miss  Buckingham 
inquired. 

*'  Why,  he  was  ashamed  to  be  seen  on  the  street 
with  such  a  face." 

Donald  sat  looking  quietly  at  Helen  while  she 
told  her  story,  and  not  responding  by  so  much 
as  the  contortion  of  a  single  muscle,  to  the  angry 
glances  she  bestowed  on  him.  Miss  Buckingham 
told  Helen  to  take  her  seat  and  then  she  turned 
to  Donald  for  his  version  of  the  story. 

"Is  it  necessary  to  trouble  womenliind  with 
boys'  quarrels  ?  "  he  asked  with  heightened  color. 

"  It  is  in  this  case,  Donald ;  Mrs.  Moxton 
thinks  you  should  be  excluded  from  school ;  we 
certainly  do  not  wish  to  do  this  if  we  can  help  it." 

"  I  did  not  think  I  was  striking  him  so  hard, 
but  his  flesh  is  as  soft  as  a  baby's."  Donald 
hesitated.  "  Won't  you  believe  me  if  I  teU  you 
it  was  not  my  fault  ?  " 

He  spoke  bitterly,  since  she  did  not  seem 
to  believe  his  simple  word  without  unnecessary 
explanation. 

"I  am  sure  you  were  not  to  bleme,  but  for 


108 


A  PASSAGE  AT  ABMS. 


Mrs.  Moxton's  sake  we  must  hear  the  true  version 
of  the  story." 

'*  You  must  tell  her,  then,  that  J  have  the  mark 
of  Lewis'  blow,  but  it  is  not  on  my  face ;  he  came 
behind  me  with  a  stick." 

"  Did  you  do  anything  to  provoke  his  anger?  " 

"  I  had  never  spoken  to  him ;  you  know  as  well 
as  I  what  his  reasons  were."  He  turned  to  his 
open  book  not  very  politely,  but  there  was  a  dignity 
about  the  act  that  charmed  his  teacher. 

"  Please  let  me  tell  what  I  know,"  Angela 
urged. 

"  Certainly ;  we  shall  be  glad  if  you  can  throw 
any  light  on  this  mysterious  circumstance." 

Angela  repeated  her  conversation  with  Lewis 
the  previous  morning,  and  his  threats  against 
Donald.  The  latter  did  not  lift  his  eyes  or  appear 
to  notice  what  she  was  saying,  but  her  gentle 
defense  of  his  rights  sank  all  the  deeper  into  his 
heart,  while  he  resolved  to  be  worthy  of  a  friend- 
ship so  unselfish,  and  to  hold  her  best  among  his 
fellows,  no  matter  if  she  never  studied  another 
hour.  It  came  to  him  at  that  moment  like  a 
revelation,  that  there  are  qualities  of  the  heart 
which  take  higher  ranges  than  even  intellect  and 
culture. 

"  Whoever  is  excluded  from  this  school  it  will 


not  be  Donald  Wardell,  you  will  please  tell  your 
mother." 

Miss  Buckingham  spoke  sternly  and  then  bade 
them  go  on  with  their  lessons. 

For  several  days  Helen  continued  to  come  alone. 
No  inquiries  were  made  after  the  health  of  the 
sufferer,  but  one  morning  the  young  gentleman 
came  bravely  into  school  —  the  scars  nearly  healed 
on  his  face,  while  he  looked  as  self-possessed  as 
if  he  had  been  laid  up  in  honorable  wai'fare.  To 
say  that  they  were  surprised  to  see  him  back 
again  but  mildly  expressed  their  consternation 
when  he  came  in  and  calmly  took  his  seat,  but 
Miss  Buckingham  was  too  rigid  a  disciplinarian 
to  allow  such  a  dastardly  act  in  a  pupil  to  pass 
unchallenged. 

"  We  did  not  expect  to  see  you  here  again." 
There  was  a  touch  of  contempt  in  her  voice. 

*'0h!  I  wasn't  hurt  much.  It  couldn't  be 
called  a  thrashing  that  he  gave  me." 

He  cast  a  meaning  glance  first  at  his  shoes  and 
then  at  Angela. 

"Your  punishment  was  not  in  proportion  to 
your  deserts,  and  therefore  I  shall  supplement  it. 
You  can  only  remain  here  on  condition  that  you 
ask  Donald's  pardon  for  your  cowardly  attack 
on  him." 


-'M 


'I 


lii 


110 


A  PASSAGE  AT  ARMS. 


His  face  turned  first  pale  and  then  a  deep 
crimson,  but  he  did  not  move  nor  speak. 

"  You  can  either  write  an  apology,  or  else  go 
directly  and  ask  Donald  to  forgive  you,  promising 
that  you  will  never  do  such  a  thing  again." 

There  was  no  mistaking  her  determination  to 
be  obeyed.  He  took  a  sheet  of  paper  and  scrawled 
a  few  unintelligible  lines  on  it  and  laid  it  on 
Donald's  table,  where  it  remained  unnoticed  until 
the  school  was  dismissed,  when  Angela  secured 
the  precious  missive,  but  could  not  make  out  a 
single  word.  Donald  was  not  molested  again, 
probably  not  so  much  because  of  the  written 
promise  Lewis  had  made,  as  for  his  respect  for 
his  schoolmate's  well  developed  muscles.  He 
found  to  his  sorrow  that  if  Donald  limped  when 
he  walked,  there  was  nothing  defective  about  his 
hands,  while  be  was  considerably  mystified  that 
a  lad  of  his  years  should  have  such  excellent 
fighting  ability,  and  make  such  small  use  of  it, 
for  Angela  had  told  him  in  confidence  afterward 
that  their  encounter  was  the  first  fighting  he  had 
ever  done. 

"  He  says  that  could  hardly  be  called  fighting," 
she  hastened  to  explain,  "for  you  weren't  any 
good  at  all,  you  doubled  right  up  and  began  to 
scream  like  a  baby." 


(( 

him 
idea 
I  tl 

g00( 

One 
race 
as  ij 
ities 
they 

be  s 
me.' 
cont 

n 

silly 

said 

(( 

ther 
low 

M 

somi 

peoi 

t( 

Lon 
he  a, 


Mtoh 


A  PASSAGB  AT  AKMS. 


Ill 


"  I  guess  he'd  have  screamed  too." 

"  But  he  never  said  a  word  when  yon  struck 
him  across  the  shoulders  with  a  club.  I  had  no 
idea  boys  were  made  of  such  different  material. 
I  thought  at  first  that  you  might  be  nearly  as 
good  as  Donald,  but  what  a  difference  there  is. 
One  can  hardly  realize  that  you  are  the  same 
race  of  beings."  Angela  talked  on  as  innocently 
as  if  Lewis,  and  his  lack  of  courage,  and  fine  qual- 
ities generally,  were  some  indifferent  third  party 
they  were  discussing. 

*'  There  is  not  another  girl  in  Longhurst  would 
be  such  a  fool  as  to  prefer  that  Wardell  before 
me."  Lewis  was  exasperated  almost  beyond  all 
control. 

*'The  Longhurst  girls  must  be  more  than 
silly,  then ;  but  perhaps  you  only  think  so,"  she 
said  cheerfully. 

"No,  I  don't;  why,  they  do  not  even  know 
there  is  such  ii  fellow ;  they  do  not  take  notice  of 
low  country  people." 

"  They  will  be  proud  to  have  him  notice  them 
some  day.  Don't  you  know  anything  about  great 
people?" 

"  I  guess  I  do.  There  is  not  one  of  them  in 
Longhurst  but  is  on  visiting  terms  at  our  house," 
he  said  proudly. 


112 


A   PASSAGE  AT  ARMS. 


"  Great  people,  indeed !  Why,  you  are  as 
ignorant  as  one  of  the  Doolan  children  on  the 
back  lane,"  Angela  said,  with  unusual  sarcasm. 
"  There  never  was  a  great  person  in  Longhurst. 
I  meant  poets  and  philosophers  and  that  sort. 
Why,  about  three  out  of  every  four  really  great 
men  were  country  boys  like  Donald.  They  do 
not  come  from  narrow-minded  towns  like  Long- 
hurst, or  big  cities  where  they  have  no  chance  to 
learn  about  things,  but  from  the  great,  wide 
country  where  their  hearts  have  plenty  of  room 
to  grow  in." 

"  Who  told  you  so  ?  "  he  asked  skeptically. 

"Books.  You  may  learn  a •  great  deal  out 
here  that  you  would  never  have  known.  May  be 
you  will  grow  to  be  like  Donald."  She  beamed 
upon  him  encouragingly.  "  Wouldn't  it  be 
lovely,  now,  if  you  took  a  turn  for  the  better, 
and  copied  after  him  ?  Why,  I  should  feel  as  if 
I  had  done  a  great  deal  of  good.  Of  course 
you  could  never  be  really  like  him,  but  you  can 
not  help  that,' for  you  were  not  created  very  much 
at  the  first ;  and  it  is  impossible  to  be  great  when 
the  material  for  it  is  not  in  us." 

"  I'll  let  you  see  I  have  as  much  in  me  as  he 
has,  when  we  are  men.  The  idea  of  comparing 
that  country  lout  to  me."     His  indignation  was 


over 
dece 
how 


supe 
he  ii 


woui 
to  SI 
I  m 

hou8 

(( 

his  '. 
is,  t 
celel 
L 
neve 
since 


V 


A  PA8SA0B  AT  ARMS. 


118 


overmastering  him.  «»Why,  he  never  wore  a 
decent  suit  of  clothes  in  his  life ;  wouldn't  know 
how  to  get  into  them  if  they  were  g^ven  to  him." 

"I  was  not  comparing  him  to  you.  He  ia 
superior  to  any  one  I  know  personally,  or  at  least 
he  is  going  to  be  when  he  is  a  man." 

"  You  are  nothing  but  a  foolish  child  or  you 
wouldn't  listen  to  his  boastings.  It's  easy  enough 
to  say  what  you  are  going  to  be ;  for  my  part, 
I  mean  to  be  rich;  I  shall  build  a  splendid 
house,  and  have  a  store  and  lots  of  clerks." 

"  Donald  never  boasted  that  much  to  me  in  all 
his  life.  It  is  not  what  he  says,  but  what  he 
is,  that  makes  me  feel  that  he  is  going  to  be 
celebrated  some  day." 

Lewis  turned  away  in  disgust,  determined 
never  to  argue  with  Angela  about  Donald  again, 
since  he  always  got  worsted. 


mam 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


▲   SURPRISE. 


Another  year  slipped  quickly  away,  Lewis 
and  Donald  coming  no  nearer  to  being  friends 
than  at  the  first.  Lewis  felt  himself  on  a  social 
plane  so  far  above  his  schoolmate  there  was 
really  no  need  for  him  to  be  jealous  when  the 
latter  left  him  so  far  behind  ia  his  studies  that 
even  Angela  grew  cheerful  when  she  compared 
her  progress  with  what  Lewis  was  making.  Lewis 
assured  her,  by  way  of  apology,  that  he  did  not 
purpose  making  his  fortune  with  the  same  brains 
that  he  studied  with,  and  he  had  conscientious 
scruples  against  overtaxing  his  strength  with 
unnecessary  study. 

"  But  they  say  one  must  know  a  good  deal  if 
they  expect  to  succeed  and  be  respected,"  she 
suggested. 

"  Well," you  see  we  have  only  one  life  to  live, 
and  if  we  study  like  Wardell,  why,  we  have  no 

114 


Iv 


\ 


Ik 


A  BCRPRISV. 


116 


Bort  of  good  times  at  all.  I  like  to  go  oat  in 
the  evenings  to  parties  and  concerts  and  such 
places  ;  they  are  enough  sight  pleasanter  than  *  ^ 
be  stewing  over  books  all  the  time.  That  poor 
beggar  hasn't  anything  better  than  study,  but  if 
he  had  my  privileges  he  wouldn't  get  on  as  he 
does  with  his  lessons." 

Angela  looked  as  if  still  unconvinced.  The 
conversation  took  place  just  at  the  close  of  school 
before  the  midsummer  holidays,  and  although 
she  liked  the  enjoyments  of  the  hour  as  well  as 
Lewis,  she  was  not  much  inspired  by  his  words. 

"  The  time  i.\  gone  now,  and  you  have  very 
little  to  show  for  the  way  you  have  used  it. 
Donald  would  get  over  as  much  ground  in  ten 
weeks  as  you  have  in  forty." 

"  See  what  a  booby  he  is.  Put  him  in  a  room 
full  of  society  people,  and  he  would  be  like  a 
fish  out  of  water;  and  if  he  had  a  mint  of 
money  he  couldn't  get  himself  up  as  well  as  some 
I  know  could  do  on  a  mere  nothing." 

•»  That  will  come  to  him  by  degrees ;  and,  any 
way,  it  don't  matter  much  how  a  man  dresses.  I 
like  to  see  them  look  careless ;  they  are  not  so 
much  like  dry  goods  clerks.  It  is  well  enough 
for  them  and  girls  to  think  of  those  things,  but 
it  is  childish  for  men." 


I 


m 


tsBBBaasass 


m 


\      .\v 


mmmmmmsmssmmmmmmmm. 


tmmmmmimmBmmammm 


116 


A  BCltPRISB. 


Lewis  colored,  but  did  not  attempt  a  reply. 
He  had  not  got  into  an  argument  with  Angela 
about  Donald  for  a  good  many  months,  and  he 
was  wishing  now  most  heartily  that  he  had 
continued  that  judicious  silence. 

"  And  only  think,"  Angela  went  on,  as  if  de- 
termined  to  make  him  more  thoroughly  ashamed 
of  himself,  "  Donald  will  be  ready  for  college  so 
much  sooner  than  you,  and  he  had  no  chance 
worth  mentioning  until  he  came  with  us." 

"I  don't  care  how  much  he  learns,  he  will 
always  be  old  Wardell's  son,  your  hired  man,  and 
he  could  never  come  here  to  visit  you  as  an  equal, 
with  his  father  digging  in  your  garden.  And 
no  matter  how  much  he  loved  you  he  wouldn't 
have  the  impudence  to  tell  you  so." 

"  Indeed  he  would  tell  me.  He  has  told  me 
several  times  that  he  likes  me;  once  he  said 
better  than  any  one  in  the  world."  She  spoke 
very  triumphantly. 

"Is  he  going  to  marry  you  when  you  are 
grown  up  ?  "  Lewis  asked  fiercely. 

"Why,  certainly  not.  We  never  thought 
about  it.  I  mean  to  marry  a  man  from  far 
away  when  I  am  a  woman ;  that  is,  if  I  get  mar- 
ried at  all.  I  haven't  quite  made  up  my  mind 
yet' 


V 


A  BURPBIBB. 


117 


Her  assurance  that  she  bad  not  thought  of 
becoming  Donald's  wife  was  comforting,  for 
Lewis,  like  his  mother,  had  made  up  his  mind 
that  he  would  be  not  only  Angela's  husband,  but 
the  owner  of  the  Pines.  He  had  overheard  more 
than  one  conversation  between  grown  men  as  to 
the  probable  value  of  that  estate,  if  properly 
managed,  especially  since  the  town  had,  of  late, 
started  out  in  that  direction.  If  the  fields  were 
broken  up  and  sold  into  building  lots,  a  snug 
fortune  from  that  source  alone  would  be  the  re- 
sult. If  this  fine  property  could  be  secured, 
there  would  be  no  questioning  the  possibility  of 
his  having  that  elegant  house  in  the  town,  with 
the  store  in  addition,  and  plenty  of  clerks  to 
superintend.  But  he  was  a  judicious  youth,  and 
gave  no  hint  of  his  plans  to  Angela,  or  any  one 
else.  He  merely  set  himself  steadily  to  the  work 
of  beginning  his  wooing  in  good  season.  He 
reckoned  Donald's  absence  an  important  factor 
in  »he  undertaking;  with  him  out  of  the  way, 
Angela  would  soon  forget  bis  superior  ability  as 
a  student,  and  as  that  was  the  only  advantage  he 
possessed,  Lewis  consoled  himself  that  she  would 
not  be  much  impressed  by  that,  especially  as  she 
waL  not  a  brilliant  student  herself. 

He  did  not  by  any  means  approve,  however, 


i 


SURPRISE. 


of  the  long  tramps  through  woodland  and  by 
stream,  that  Donald  and  Angela  took  together, 
hunting  for  speuimuns,  with  no  other  company 
than  his  Bisters,  the  latter  usually  some  distance 
in  the  roar,  as  they  found  each  other's  sooiety 
more  to  their  mind  than  the  obscure  oonversa* 
tions  which  Donald  carried  on  with  only  Angela 
for  audience.  He  decided  at  last  to  get  Donald 
into  his  own  social  set,  and  let  Angela  see  how 
poorly  her  hero  conducted  himself  among  his 
superiors.  At  conHiderable  expense  of  personal 
dignity  and  comfort,  Lewis  got  up  a  picnic,  and 
took  the  trouble  to  convey  Donald's  invitation 
himself. 

The  day  came  and  all  the  invited  guests,  Angela 
among  the  rest,  but  Donald  alone  was  conspicuous 
by  his  absence. 

*'  Is  Donald  not  coming  ?  "  he  asked  anxiously. 
It  was  Angela's  first  intimation  that  he  was 
invited,  and  she  said  with  surprise,  "  Why,  was 
he  invited?" 

>«  Yes ;  I  went  for  him  myself.  Did  he  not 
tell  you?" 

"  He  did  not  mention  it,  and  I  was  speaking 
with  him  on  my  way  here." 

Lewis  turned  away  abruptly.  It  was  necessary 
to  give  vent  to  his  feelings,  and  it  would  not  do 


for  i 

occai 

tunil 

absei 
ti 

temf 
then 
that 
not 

or  n( 

ti 

had 

I  do 

abou 
it 

peof 
goo^ 

I'd 

don' 
you 

It 

can' 

aroi 

t( 


A  SURPKIBB. 


119 


for  Angela  to  hear  the  phraMi  used  on  such  an 
ovcatiion.  The  following  day  iihe  found  an  oppor* 
tunity  to  question  Donald  on  the  cause  of  his 
absence. 

"What  did  I  want  there?"  he  asked  con- 
temptuously. "You  wouldn't  expect  me  to  go 
the(«  and  sit  around  like  a  girl,  with  a  crowd 
that  don't  speak  when  they  meet  mo  on  the  street  I 
not  that  I  care  particularly  whether  they  speak 
or  not,"  he  hastened  to  explain. 

"  But  you  would  have  got  to  know  them  if  you 
had  gone,  and  then  they  would  speak  to  you." 

'♦  I  don't  want  to  be  jerking  my  head  to  folks 
I  don't  oare  a  farthing  for ;  I  might  be  thinking 
about  something  and  not  see  them." 

"  Do  you  ever  feel  badly  because  the  Longhurst 
people  don't  notice  you  ?  "  she  asked  anxiously. 

'"  Never,"  was  the  hearty  response.  "  What 
good  or  harm  would  they  be  to  me,  any  way  ? 
I'd  sooner  meet  with  a  good  specimen.  People 
don't  amount  to  much  unless  they  are  the  kind 
you  want." 

"  Am  I  the  kind  you  want? " 

"  Well,  yes ;  only  you  know  very  little.  You 
can't  help  me  any,  but  still  I  like  to  have  you 
around." 

"  I  am  most  surprised  that  you  do ;  after  you 


..■w. 


li! 


A  8UEPRI8B. 

have  been  to  college  I  do  not  xpect  you  will 
want  me  to  go  hunting  specimens  with  you  any 
more." 

"  I  may  not  come  home  very  soon  ;  I  won't  if  I 
can  get  something  to  do,  so  it  is  not  wise  to  w'-ry 
about  what  may  happen,  or  the  way  we  a.ay  feel 
when  we  are  older." 

You  surely  won't  forget  all  about  me,"  she 
pleaded. 

"  To  be  sure  I  won't.  I  have  a  better  memory 
than  that,  especially  when  you  have  done  more  for 
me  than  all  the  world  put  together." 

"  You  forget  ;'our  father  and  mother." 

"  Oh  !  no,  indeed ;  but  parents  are  expected  to 
do  for  their  children  just  the  same  as  they  <  for 
themselves ;  they  do  not  get  the  same  credit  doing 
for  their  children  as  strangers  do,  and  they  do 
not  deserve  it." 

"Do  you  think  it  sounds  just  right  to  talk 
that  way  about  your  parents?"  Angela  said 
doubtfully. 

"  Perhaps"  not,  so  we  won't  talk  any  more  on 
that  subject." 

Donald  certainly  had  somewhat  original,  and 
not  exceptionally  exalted  ideas  respecting  the 
filial  relations  of  children  to  their  parents  ;  Angela 
concluded  that  absence  and  intercourse  with  a 


00 

pr 
wl 
Tc 
hii 
ho 
in 
no 
lej 
thi 

wi 

m( 
do 
th( 

ws 

th; 

la( 

tir 

an 
th 
Ut 


A  SURPRISE. 


121 


oold-hearted  world  might  teaoh  him  to  value 
properly  the  love  that  he  held  so  lightly,  and 
which  she  knew  his  parents  bestowed  upon  him. 
To  his  great  surprise,  the  day  before  he  left  home 
his  father  confided  to  him  the  secret  of  their 
hoardings.  As  they  walked  along  the  dewy  lanes 
in  the  early  morning  he  said  to  Donald,  "  I  do 
not  know  how  you  are  expecting  to  live  at  col- 
lege, while  you  are  getting  through  the  two  or 
three  years  it  may  take  you." 

"  I  have  made  no  plans  as  yet,  but  some  way 
will  be  provided.  Mother  has  promised  to  make 
me  a  box  full  of  oat  cakes ;  by  the  time  they  are 
done  I  shall  have  something  hunted  up,"  waa 
the  fearless  answer. 

"  And  would  ye  live  on  oaten  cake  and  cold 
water?" 

"  It  would  be  wholesome ;  you  can't  deny 
that." 

"  I'm  richt  glad  ye'll  hae  no  need  to  do  that, 
laddie,"  Under  strong  emotion  Wardell  some- 
times fell  into  the  speech  of  his  childhood. 

*'  Why  not  ?  "  Donald  asked  with  surprise.  "  I 
am  not  going  to  let  her  send  me,"  nodding  toward 
the  house  where  Angela,  no  doubt,  still  lay  in  her 
little  bed  fast  asleep. 

*'We  dinna  ask  ye;  yer  mither  and  I  hae 


It 


H»*»wliMw#*«***' 


A  SURPRISE. 

been  getting  ready  for  this  day  since  long  afore 
ye  waur  born.  Glad  are  we  that  a  bairn  haa 
been  sent  asking  for  the  store  we  have  put  by 

for  him." 

Donald  saw  that  his  father  was  unusually  moved, 
but  not  comprehending  the  cause  for  his  emotion, 

kept  silent. 

"  Ye  dinna  ask  my  meaning,  laddie,  but  I  will 
tell  ye.  The  money  lies  in  the  bank  yonder,  to 
pay  yer  way  through  college.  If  ye  do  honor 
to  yer  faither  and  mither,  and,  more  than  that, 
to  yer  God,  we'll  be  paid  for  doing  without  and 
faring  poorly  that  ye  may  be  trained." 

Donald's  face  worked  convulsively.  Never 
before  had  he  realized  what  parental  love  meant. 
Was  he  worthy  of  such  sacrifices?  could  he  ever 
repay  them?  They  walked  on  some  distance  in 
unbroken  silence,  save  what  the  birds  made  as 
they  flew  busily  from  place  to  place  in  search  of 
their  breakfast,  the  chirp  of  the  cricket  in  the 
bare  uplands,  or  the  tinkling  of  the  beU  as  the 
cows  went  slowly  pastureward. 

Donald  listened  with  pained  intentness  to  these, 
and  the  lower  notes  from  tinier  throats  which 
blended  with  the  other  soundb  like  the  different 
instruments  in  an  orchestra,  and  while  he  heeded 
so  closely  all  these  well-known  voices,  the  question 


pres( 
wort 
almo 
hew 
to  hi 

pay 

thes4 

life- 

attei 

decli 

even 

had 

requ 

alike 

still, 

reve 

hisi 

with 

(( 

goin 
and 
richi 
need 
am  ' 
dot 
H 
lips 


i!i 


A  SUBPRISB. 


128 


sr 
t. 
jr 
n 

IS 

>£ 
le 
le 

e, 

at 
id 
m 


presented  itself,  How  could  he  prove  that  he  was 
worthy  of  such  love  —  such  devotion  that  partook 
almost  of  the  nature  of  the  Infinite  ?  Certainly 
he  would  study,  since  to  do  this  came  as  naturally 
to  him  as  speaking.  If  life  was  spared,  he  would 
pay  back  the  debt,  interest  and  principal,  but 
these  were  not  enough.  He  would  devote  his 
life — that  part  of  it  that  books  and  study  did  not 
utterly  dominate  —  to  the  work  of  making  their 
declining  years  bright.  He  did  not  speak,  not 
even  to  thank  his  father  for  the  sacrifices  they 
had  been  making  for  years,  but  speech  was  not 
required  between  them,  for  they  were  so  much 
alike.  Donald  had  inherited  from  his  father  that 
still,  deep  nature  that  does  not  look  to  speech  to 
reveal  itself.  Instinctively  he  felt  certain  that 
his  father  would  understand  that  he  was  grateful 
without  telling  him  so. 

'*She  was  telling  me  yonder,  that  you  were 
going  to  work  for  them  there  *—  black  their  boots 
and  the  like,  to  pay  your  way.  We  would  be 
richt  willing  to  let  ye  do  it  if  there  waur  any 
need,  but  I  am  glad  it  is  not  needed.  Than'ful 
am  I  this  day  that  it  was  put  into  your  heart  to 
do  this  thing." 

Ke  lifted  his  eyes  to  the  far  blue  heavens,  his 
lips  moving  in  silent  prayer,  or  rather  thanks- 


*lliKi-r  tkml»i^m* 


124 


A  SURPRISE. 


giving,  that  God  had  honored  his  faith  and  given 
the  son  he  had  longed  for,  even  if  he  was  not  so 
perfect  physically  as  he  could  desire ;  but  a  better 
dispensation  had  come  than  that  old  Levitical  one 
that  insisted  on  visible  perfection. 

"  And  will  ye  be  a  minister  some  day,  Donald  — 
preaching  the  wurd  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  ?  " 

"  Not  that,  father ;  I  have  not  the  call  for  such 
work ;  it  is  not  men's  souls  that  attract  me,  but 
God's  other  mysteries.  He  made  the  small  as 
well  as  the  great.  You  must  not  be  disappointed, 
for  I  did  not  plan  my  own  destiny." 

"  Nay,  lad,  I  will  try  to  be  content ;  but  you 
will  pray  to  God  every  day  to  guide  you  "  —  He 
paused,  but  Donald  made  no  response. 

"  Won't  ye  promise  me  that  much,  my  son  ?  " 
There  was  an  undertone  of  pain  in  the  deep  voice. 

"Yes." 

David  Wardell  was  content  with  that  brief 
response.  He  knew  the  promise  would  be  faith- 
fully kept. 

They  went  back  to  the  house  for  breakfast, 
Donald  feeling,  in  some  mysterious  way,  as  if  he 
had  just  taken  upon  him  the  vows  of  the  Lord. 
He  would  in  all  honesty  keep  that  promise.  He 
shivered  as  he  tbought  of  what  it  might  mean, 
to  give  up  the  work  that  lured  him  so  powerfully, 


and  i 
of  m( 
starv 
atyp 
carec 
self, 
inten 
nevei 
a  pa! 
it  to 
He  I 
altho 
unde 
hisfi 
agon 
lattei 
Tl 
knovt 
some 
been 
unus 
straii 
tion  - 
sligh 
abou 
ingt 
had  1 


A  SURPRISB. 


126 


and  instead  spend  his  life  amid  the  busy  haunts 
of  men,  shut  up  perhaps  in  stifling  cities,  his  heart 
starved  through  intei-oourse  only  with  humanity ; 
a  type  of  creation  that,  with  few  exceptions,  he 
oared  nothing  for.  And  then  he  comforted  him- 
self, or  tried  to,  with  the  thought  that  God  never 
intended  such  discipline  for  him  as  that.  He 
never  made  such  mistakes  —  creating  a  heart  with 
a  passion  for  one  kind  of  work,  and  then  forcing 
it  to  wear  itself  out  on  a  kind  that  it  loathed. 
He  scarcely  thought  of  anything  else  all  day, 
although  in  all  formality  he  had  gone  to  his  room 
under  the  eaves,  and,  fastening  the  door,  offered 
his  first  genuine  prayer  —  if  genuine  prayer  means 
agony  and  thanksgiving;  his  had  none  of  the 
latter. 

There  had  never  come  to  him  that  mysterious 
knowledge  of  sin  — its  burden  and  horror — which 
some  experience  when  very  young.  His  life  had 
been  so  absorbed  in  other  things,  making  him 
unusually  free  from  self-consciousness,  and  re- 
straining him  from  impurity  of  life  and  associa- 
tion —  he  lived  so  apart  from  others  that  he  had 
slight  knowledge  of  the  ways  of  the  young  people 
about  him.  He  had  littered  morning  and  even- 
ing the  prayers  taught  him  in  childhood,  but  they 
had  grown  into  such  a  habit  the  repeating  theiu 


!    ■S 


126 


A  SUBPKISa 


occupied  bis  thoughts  little  more  than  the  act  of 
breathing.  The  few  words  spoken  so  solemnly 
by  his  father  that  morning  had  touched  his  spirit- 
ual nature.  He  felt  for  the  first  time  in  his  life 
that  he  did  not  belong  entirely  to  himself ;  that 
One  who  had  hitherto  seemed  scarce  more  than 
an  abstraction,  was  a  living  power  to  whom  he 
owed  allegiance ;  whom,  if  he  was  wise,  he  must 
obey  implicitly. 

He  found  the  question  too  profound  to  be 
solved  in  a  few  hours.  He  thought  of  the  many 
passing  on  to  the  awful  mysteries  of  eternity  with 
no  solution  to  the  problem  —  would  he  be  of  the 
number  ? 

In  the  blush  of  evening  he  went  up  through 
the  meadow  path  to  say  good-by  to  Angela,  his 
arms  filled  with  books  that  he  was  carrying  home. 
In  one  of  them  he  had  found  a  slip  of  paper, 
yellow  with  age,  which  described  some  rare  speci- 
mens of  insect  life  brought  from  South  America, 
and  preserved  in  the  ebony  cabinet  in  the  library. 
He  took  it  to  Angela ;  perhaps  they  might  still 
be  there. 

She  had  been  waiting  for  him  all  day,  and  at 
that  late  hour  was  inclined  to  resent  his  inatten- 
tion. He  scarcely  waited  for  her  to  conclude  her 
chiding  when  he  showed  her  the  slip  of  writing. 


aske 

(t 

to-ni 
i( 

(( ' 

othei 
buttc 

look 
the   I 
own  1 
them. 
Th 
voice, 
her  fi 
the  b 
ures  1 
thing 
to  vai 
room, 
key  a 
it  wac 
«G 
Ange 
Linds 
thelo 


m 


A  BUBPRISBi. 


127 


"Do  you  think  they  are  in  it  Btill?"  he 
asked. 

"Oh I  certainly;  but  must  you  see  them 
to-night?" 

"  I  would  like  very  much  to  look  at  them." 

"You  have  come  so  late,  and  there  were 
other  things  I  wanted  to  talk  about  than  dead 
butterflies." 

"  You  can  talk  of  those  other  things  while  I 
look  at  the  specimens.  I  daresay  I  have  seen 
the  same  in  pictures,  but  not  really  in  their 
own  natural  beauty.  Please,  Angela,  let  me  see 
them." 

There  was  no  resisting  the  entreaty  in  his 
voice.  With  a  sigh  of  impatience  she  went  to 
her  father's  desk,  and  in  the  secret  drawer  found 
the  bunch  of  keys  that  hid  so  many  other  treas- 
ures than  departed  butterflies  -r-  if  there  is  any- 
thing  about  a  butterfly  save  its  body  and  wings 
to  vanish  at  death.  She  brought  them  into  the 
room,  and  after  many  failures  found  the  right 
key  at  last,  but  the  lock  had  been  so  long  unused 
it  was  rusty. 

"Get  some  kerosene,"  Donald  suggested.  When 
Angela  brought  it  a  feather  was  abstracted  from 
Lindsay's  best  duster,  and  after  a  few  more  efforts 
the  lock  responded  to  the  key  and  delivered  up 


m 


A  SURPniSJB. 


its  treasares.  Angela  next  got  a  lamp,  and  turn- 
ing the  light  upon  the  open  cabinet,  she  glanced 
in  to  see  what  might  be  there.  Donald  atood 
motionless  and  silent  so  long  that  she  craned  her 
neck  at  last  to  see  his  face,  and  the  look  of  rapture 
in  his  eyes  haunted  her  for  many  a  day. 

"  Yon  won't  think  much  of  these  when  you  get 
to  college,  for  they  have  great  rooms  full  of 
specimens  there." 

He  brep^^hed  a  sigh  of  content,  as  if  all  his 
brightest  longings  were  on  the  eve  of  being  ful- 
filled, when  Angela  said  merrily,  "  Why,  yon 
couldn't  look  gladder  if  we  had  found  a  pot  of 
gold."         *  •       ' 

'*  What  would  a  pot  of  gold  be  compared  with 
them  —  each  coin  alike  and  about  as  ugly  and 
flat  as  it  could  be  ?  but  these  God  made." 

He  paused,  as  if  that  last  thought  were  a  new 
and  very  wonderful  one. 

"  I  am  sorry  we  did  not  know  about  them 
before.  What  -  tiresome  marches  it  would  have 
saved  us." 

*'  I  should  have  hunted  all  the  same,  but  not 
for  such  beauties  as  these;  they  come  from  a 
better  country  than  ours.  I  mean  to  go  where 
they  live  if  I  have  to  walk." 

After  that  Angela  stood  silently  holding  the 


ki 


A  SURPKI8B. 

light,  and  Donald  as  silendy  admired  the  poor 
dead  things  impaled  on  wires. 

"I  must  go  now,"  he  said  at  last,  with  a 
gesture  of  regret. 

"  You  find  it  harder  parting  with  them  than 
me,  and  they  are  only  little  dead  things,  that 
wouldn't  know  what  you  were  if  they  had  their 
life  in  them  again."  Angela  turned  away  bit- 
terly ;  surely  Donal(f  had  no  mire  heart  than  the 
bugs  and  beetles  themselves,  and  she  was  a  goose 
to  feel  the  parting  so  keenly,  when  the  pain  was 
all  on  her  side. 

"  But  we  shall  meet  again  sometime ;  besides, 
girls  cannot  do  much  for  one  —  they  know  so 
Httle." 

"  And  this  is  the  end  of  all  our  friendship  ?" 
"  No,  it  is  not  the  end ;  for  I  shall  always  like 
you,  no  matter  if  you  are  ignorant.  1  ought  to 
like  you,  for  you  have  done  everything  for  me." 
"  I  do  not  want  any  one  to  like  me  from  duty, 
but  I  believe  that  is  all  the  kind  of  affection  you 
are  capable  of.  I  shall  get  another  friend  di- 
rectly,  and  one  not  wrapped  up  in  bugs  and 
spiders."  Her  sentence,  though  bravely  spoken, 
ended  in  something  very  like  a  sob. 

«  Angela,  we  must  not  quarrel,"  said  Donald, 
"  and  you  must  not  get  any  one  in  my  place.     I 


idfc^. 


J^ 


— ^M 


^^^^^ 


mmmmmmmmm 


180 


A  BOBPRISK. 


beliovo  I  would  give  up  everything  rather  than 
that.  I  did  not  know  how  much  I  cared  until 
you  Hpoke  just  now.  V  jn't  you  have  patience 
with  me?  for  God  must  have  me  to  like  these 
Btudies.  Won't  you  say  good-by  kindly,  and 
keep  me  for  best  friend  —  your  dearest,  beat, 
ever  and  always  ?  " 

She  turned  a  very  glad  though  rather  wet  face 
to  him.  »'  And  will  you  be  my  best  friend  ever 
and  always  ?  Promise  me  that  you  won't  get  to 
like  those  musty  old  professors  better  than  you 

do  me." 

♦'I  promise;"  he  held  out  his  hand  to  say 
good-by.  Angela  gave  him  her  hand  and  glanced 
half-timidly  into  the  face  looking  intently  at  her. 
It  ^vas  sunburned  ;  even  the  forehead,  over  which 
there  generally  fell  a  tangle  of  brown,  curly  hair, 
was  white  only  where  the  hair  screened  it  from 
the  sunshine,  for  Donald  had  a  weakness  for 
going  in  his  bare  head  in  the  open  air ;  but  the 
face  itself  was  as  finely  chiseled  as  any  the  old 
Greeks  have  sent  down  to  us  as  types  of  their 
own  high  civilization,  and  with  character  enough 
for  a  dozen  such  facej<  as  Lewis  Moxton's. 

"Good-by,  Donald,"  putting  her  little  soft 
hand  into  his  brown  one.  It  was  the  first  time 
they  had  ever  touched  hands,  except  by  accident. 


;.:,   ! 


i^n 


A  8URPRI8B. 


181 


•♦  What  a  tender  littlo  hand,  Angela,"  he  said ; 
"  it  could  never  be  good  for  anything  but  orna- 
ment.    May  be  that  iH  all  yota  were  made  for." 

**  It  is  not  all,  Donald ;  I  pray  to  God  every 
day,  to  let  me  work  for  him.  I  do  not  aak  for 
the  kind  of  work  1  would  like.  I  leave  that  all 
with  him.  He  is  going  to  answer  my  prayers 
somehow,  some  day." 

'*  I  began  to  do  that  to-day.  My  father  asked 
me  to,  but  I  am  not  wrilling  to  trust  all  to  Ood. 
I  do  not  want  to  be  a  minister.  I  hate  to  be 
working  among  people  —  you  have  no  idea  how 
tiresome  they  are  to  me." 

"  Why,  Donald,  how  foolish  you  are.  Ood 
does  not  want  us  to  do  things  we  were  not  in- 
teuded  to  do.  I  am  sure  he  does  not  want  you 
to  preach ;  for  one  thing,  you  can't  talk  very 
well ;  your  words  have  a  habit  of  sticking,  you 
know,  and  preachers,  more  than  any  one,  need 
to  talk  easy ;  besides,  you  have  talent  for  other 
things." 

"  Those  are  very  encouraging  words.  You 
have  the  faculty  of  helping  one  out  of  discourage- 
nvents  more  than  any  one  I  know." 

She  paid  little  heed  to  his  compliment,  for 
her  mind  was  full  of  the  other  thought. 

"  You  had  better  keep  right  on  praying,  only 


h 


132 


A  BUIIPRIEB. 


yon  munt  be  willing  for  God  to  have  his  way 
with  you,  or  it  in  not  inuuh  ubo  to  pray,  I  think ; 
you  will  hinder  hia  plann." 

**  I  wiuh  you  would  pray  for  me,  Angela." 

"  Why,  Donald,  I  do  that  every  day  of  my 
life.  You  do  not  think  I  cared  for  you  ao  little 
aa  that  ?  " 

"  I  never  thought  about  it,  and  I  never  prayed 
once  for  yon." 

♦♦  Well,  yon  need  not  do  so,  if  you  will  just 
pray  for  yourself.  I  have  a  great  deal  more 
time,  and  besides,  I  love  to  pray  to  God." 

''  I  believe,  Angela,  you  are  a  long  way  ahead 
of  me  in  some  things."  He  dtopped  the  tender 
little  hand,  cast  another  look  at  the  cabinet,  and 
was  gone. 


!!'U 


CHAPTER  IX. 


B  O  A  R  D I N  0-8  0  H  O  O  L. 


The  following  year  was  a  very  tedious  one  to 
Angela.  The  Moxtons  still  oame,  but  Lewis,  if 
possible,  made  slower  progress  than  ever.  An- 
gela, who  was  determined  to  show  Donald  that 
she  was  good  for  something  beside  ornament, 
studied  harder  than  ever,  and  she  found  Lewis  a 
great  hinderance  to  her,  as  they  studied  together. 
They  were  both  preparing  for  college,  for  Angela 
had  made  up  her  mind  to  take  the  full  course. 
It  would  take  them  still  another  year  of  hard 
study  before  they  would  be  able  to  matriculate, 
and  the  Moxtons  were  reckoning  on  having  the 
same  school  privileges  for  another  year,  but  Miss 
Buckingham  advised  Angela  to  go  to  a  boarding- 
school,  where  she  would  have  a  better  opportunity 
for  learning  other  things  than  mere  text-book 
knowledge. 

Donald  did  not  come  home  the  following  year. 
188 


i<^amiLumm 


MHiiiii 


134 


BOARDING-SCHOOL. 


One  of  the  professors  was  anxious  to  have  him 
accompany  him  to  the  sunny  Southland,  where 
creeping  things  abound,  and  of  course  he  most 
joyfully  accepted  the  offered  situation,  which  was 
both  remunerative  and  flattering  to  so  youthful 
a  naturalist.  For  a  while,  in  her  disappoint- 
ment in  not  seeing  Donald,  Angela  felt  as  if  her 
hard  work  had  been  expended  in  vain,  since  he 
was  not  coming  home.  Miss  Buckingham,  too, 
was  going  away,  probably  never  to  revisit  the 
Fines.  She  had  come  from  England  some  years 
ago,  as  governess  in  a  family,  and  when  her  work 
there  was  ended,  Angela's  father  had  secured  her 
for  a  teacher  for  his  own  littlp  daughter,  then 
less  than  ten  years  of  age.  No  wonder  that  An- 
gela looked  out  now  rather  dismally  on  the 
future,  separated  from  her  two  best  friends  in- 
definitely, for  Miss  Buckingham  had  such  a 
horror  of  ocean  travel,  nothing  but  the  desire  to 
be  once  more  with  her  kindred  wou1;l  have 
induced  her  to  cross  it;  while  Donald  was  so 
absorbed  in  his  own  pursuits  he  was  little  more 
to  her  now  than  a  stranger.  He  mentioned  her 
name  in  every  letter  home,  but  he  had  never 
written  to  her  directly,  and  one  letter  all  to  her- 
self would  have  pleased  her  better  than  scores  of 
second-hand  messages. 


t; 
ti 

g 

ii 
h 
it 
w 
w 

St 

ti 
fa 

C( 

81 
W 

h< 

to 
al 

81] 

in 

th 
m 

CO 

in 
m 


im 

jre 

ost 

ras 

ful 

ut- 

lier 
he 

oo, 

the 

ars 

ork 

her 

hen 

kn. 

the 

in- 

a 

to 

ave 

so 

lore 
ler 
sver 
ler- 
s  of 


BOAEDING-SCHOOL. 


135 


She  left  the  Pines  with  Miss  Buckingham ; 
the  latter  remained  through  the  holidays  merely 
to  keep  her  company.  When  they  came  to  say 
good-by  on  the  crowded  steamer,  amid  the  push- 
ing, self-absorbed  throng,  Angela  realized  that 
her  feeling  of  desolation  would  have  been  slight 
in  comparison,  if  their  adieus  had  been  spoken 
within  the  shelter  of  her  own  somber  pines.  She 
went  directly  to  the  school,  and  here,  too,  all  was 
strange.  For  a  while  she  was  inclined  to  regret 
that  her  desire  to  please  Donald  had  led  her  so 
far.  The  school  was  a  large  one  with  a  corre- 
sponding staff  of  professors,  and  everything  in 
connection  with  the  institution  calculated  to  in- 
spire the  students  with  ambition  to  excel  in  the 
work  for  which  they  were  there. 

Angela  never  felt  herself  so  willing  to  forget 
herself  in  books  as  now,  since  they  helped  her 
to  forget  her  own  heart's  loneliness ;  no  one  in 
all  the  world  to  be  very  glad  or  sorry  at  her 
success  or  failure,  for  Lindsay  took  vastly  more 
interest  in  the  farm  and  her  belongings  generally 
than  the  intellectual  development  of  its  youthful 
mistress.  After  Lindsay  there  was  no  one  who 
could  be  expected  to  take  more  than  secondary 
interest  in  her ;  Miss  Buckingham  had  a  widowed 
mother  with  sisters  and  their  children  to  fill  the 


1^ 


mtkr'^ 


186 


BOAKDING-SCHOOL. 


place  in  her  affections  that  Angela  might  other- 
wise have  possessed.  Economy  not  being  a 
necessitv  in  Angela's  case,  Miss  Buckingham, 
who  made  all  the  arrangements  for  her  in  the 
school,  secured  her  one  of  the  very  best  rooms, 
and  stipulated  that  she  was  to  occupy  it  solely, 
unle-is  she  was  anxious  for  a  roommate.  As  the 
weeks  wore  on,  and  she  became  better  acquainted 
with  her  schoolfellows,  she  resolved  to  take  a 
roommate  so  soon  as  she  could  secure  one  who 
satisfied  her  rather  fastidious  tastes. 

Some  of  the  girls,  like  herself,  had  plenty  of 
spending  money,  others  werfc  there  at  consider- 
able sacrifice;   but  none  of  them   came   quite 
within  the  requirements  of  her  helpfulness,  until 
one  day  there  came  a  student,  some  weeks  after 
the  term  had  begun,  whose  appearance  appealed 
at  once  to   Angela's   sympathies.      She  was  a 
gentle-faced  girl,  dressed  in  shabby  black,  and 
looking   both  frightened  and  sad-hearted.     An- 
gela's sympathies  were  aroused  at  once,  especially 
when  she  obsterved  that  the  ofJiers  were  inclined 
to  sneer  at  the  new-comer  —  not  so  much  at  her- 
self, for  nature  had  fitted  her  out  as  gracefully 
as  the  best  of  them,  but  at  the  poor  equipment 
of  dry  goods  she  brought  with  her.     At  first 
Angela  mado  no  friendly  advances,  since  the  girl 


'■   i 


was 
was 
mail 
wall 
last 
link 

an  i 
time 

« 

wan 

(( 

thinj 
ther( 

touc 

«( 

we 

advt 

friei 

diffe 
tt 

for 

crow 

(t 

som( 
none 


BOARDING-SCHOOL. 


187 


WM  ill  none  of  her  clasdes,  but  the  wistful  face 
was  growing  more  pitiful,  while  her  chtssmates 
maintained  a  frigid  bearing.  As  they  were 
walking  through  the  comdors  at  the  close  of  the 
last  session  for  the  day,  Angela  went  to  her,  and 
linking  her  arm  with  ihat  of  the  new-comer,  said : 

"  My  name  is  Angela  Marlowe ;  if  I  wait  for 
an  introduction  we  may  be  strangers  for  a  long 
time." 

"  My  name  is  Dora  Keith." 

"  A  very  pretty  name,"  Angtia  remarked,  for 
want  of  something  better  to  say. 

"  I  shall  be  glad  if  any  of  you  can  like  any 
thing  belonging  to  me."  Dora  spoke  low,  but 
there  was  a  plaintiveness  about  her  speech  more 
touching  than  the  words  themselves. 

"  O,  yes  I  we  shall  like  you  very  much  when 
we  get  better  acquainted.  You  are  at  a  dis- 
advantage coming  so  late.  We  have  all  got  our 
friendships  made,  you  see,  and  it  makes  us  in- 
different to  new-comers." 

"  I  could  not  come  any  earlier,  and  I  am  sorry, 
for  it  is  hard  to  have  no  friends  in  such  a 
crowd." 

"  You  shall  have  one  friend.  I  enjoy  having 
some  one  to  make  happy,  so  I  will  take  yoa ; 
none  of  the  others  netd  me  very  mu.'^h." 


Dora  Keith  looked  at  her  curiously.  Was  the 
girl  quite  sensible  ?  she  wondered,  for  she  talked 
like  some  budding  philanthropist  looking  for 
subjects  upon  whom  to  experiment.  Angela, 
fortunately,  was  in  blissful  ignorance  of  the 
thoughts  going  on  under  cover  of  her  prot€g6'8 
brain. 

"  Come  with  me  until  study  hour  begins ;  do 

you  room  alone  ?  " 

"Yes;  in  the  attic.  I  could  not  afford  to 
have  a  room,"  she  said  honestly. 

"  Why,  you  must  be  all  alone,  then  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Are  you  frightened  ?  " 

"O,  no !  I  rather  like  it ;  when  I  get  up  there 
I  partly  forget  that  there  are  so  many  curious 
eyes  to  look  at  me." 

Angela  opened  her  door.  It  led  into  a  daintily 
furnished  room,  most  of  its  adornments  having 
been  put  there  at  her  own  expense. 

"  Oh  1  what  a  lovely  room,  and  so  homelike. 
I  iiever  saw  anything  so  pretty  before." 

'•  I  am  glad  you  like  it,  for  I  mean  to  share 
it  with  you.  I  won't  have  another  bed  put  up, 
for  that  would  spoil  it,  but  w<;  will  get  a  sofa 
bed,  and  we  can  have  it  to  lounge  on  when  we 
are  tired." 


pei 
wit 
not 

siuj 

thii 
t 

ti 

wai 
ing 
wis] 
the 

you 

(I 

muE 
wor 

peo 
beai 

and 

(( 

cam 
for 
I  ca 
wek 
you. 


>*5*^ 


«Mi 


BOABDIKG-HOHOOL. 


*'  You  do  not  mean  to  have  me  share  this  ez« 
pensive  room  —  to  stay  in  it,  day  and  night, 
without  charging  me  anything  extra?  I  could 
not  do  it,  for  I  am  poor  and  cannot  afford  a 
single  luxury." 

"  Why,  certainly  you  won't  have  to  pay  any 
thing  extra." 

"  But  why  do  you  ask  me  ?  " 

"Do  you  think  I  could  lie  here  snug  and 
warm  at  night  with  people  all  around  within  call- 
ing distance,  and  feel  that  I  was  doing  as  I  would 
wish  to  be  done  by  when  I  left  you  up  there  in 
the  cold,  with  nothing  but  mice  within  reach  of 
your  voice  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  what  to  think,  only  that  you 
must  be  different  from  every  one  else  in  the 
world." 

»*  Oh !  no,  indeed ;  you  do  not  know  many 
people  yet.  There  are  a  great  many  people  with 
beautiful  souls.  You  know  very  often  the  outside 
and  inside  of  people  does  not  correspond." 

"  Well,  you  arc  lovely  altogether,  but  still  I 
cannot  accept  your  offer.  It  would  not  be  honest 
for  me  to  take  it,  but  if  you  will  let  me  feel  that 
I  can  come  here  when  I  ^et  very  lonely,  and  be 
welcome,  I  shall  be  so  glad,  and  I  won't  disturb 
you.     The  teachers  told  me  when  it  waf>  cold  to 


fTdBBHl 


IH 


140 


B0ABDINGM3CH00L. 


Bpend  all  my  study  hours  in  the  schoolrooms, 
but  they  are  lonelier  than  my  own  garret ;  they 
remind  me  so  "  —  she  stopped  there,  and  did  not 
finish  the  sentence. 

Angela  fancied  that  she  was  going  to  say  that 
they  reminded  her  of  the  cold  ghmces  she  met 

every  day. 

"  They  think  a  great  deal  of  rich  people  here, 
and  I  am  pretty  rich." 

Angela  spoke  as  impersonally  on  the  subject 
as  if  she  had  been  discussing  a  victim  of  the 
mumps. 

"  When  I  am  intimate  with  you  the  rest  will 
be,  for  I  have  the  prettiest  room,  and  they  like 
to  come  here,  every  one  of  them,  I  believe,"  she 
added  with  a  sigh,  for  her  room  was  more  of  a 
thoroughfare  than  even  she,  with  her  generous 
nature,  craved.  "  I  am  going  to  take  you  for 
best  friend,  too ;  I  haven't  really  selected  one  yet, 
but  a  good  many  hava  asked  for  the  position." 

Angela  was  dismayed  to  see  her  newly  selected 
friend  burst  into  an  uncontrollable  fit  of  weeping ; 
surely  that  was  a  strange  way  to  receive  her 
proffered  friendship. 

"Don't  you  wish  to  have  me  for  best  friend?" 
she  asked  after  awhile  when  the  emotion  had 
somewhat  subsided. 


"( 

in  th( 
and  ' 

• 

heart 

"I 

I  cou 

cryinj 

It  mm 

"N 

wish  I 

"Y 

to  get 

got  m 

just  li 

"]W 

for  he 

she  a 

dress 

"]M 

partic 

mothe 

she  a ' 

"Y 

she  ws 

black. 

An[ 


B0ARDING>6CHOOL. 


141 


"  O,  yes  t  I  shall  love  you  better  than  any  one 
in  the  world ;  but  I  was  not  expecting  anything, 
and  you  give  me  so  much,  and  jn»t  when  my 
heart  was  so  heavy." 

*'  I  am  glad  that  was  all  you  had  to  cry  for. 
I  could  not  quite  understand ;  I  am  not  given  to 
crying,  and  such  quantities  of  tears  frightened  me. 
It  must  hurt  to  cry  so,"  she  added  sympathetically. 

''  No ;  it  is  what  goes  before  that  hurts.  I 
wish  my  mother  could  know." 

"  You  can  write  to  her,  and  just  say  I  am  going 
to  get  each  of  us  a  pretty  winter  suit ;  I  haven't 
got  mine  yet,  and  I  want  my  best  friend  to  dress 
just  like  me." 

"  My  mother  is  dead,  and  I  am  in  mourning 
for  her  —  at  least  I  got  the  best  I  could  afford," 
she  added,  casUng  a  rueful  glance  at  the  one 
dress  that  had  to  do  duty  for  best  and  worst. 

"  My  mother  is  dead,  too,  and  I  never  wore  a 
particle  of  mourning  for  her.  I  am  sure  your 
mother  would  not  mind  if  you  took  it  off.  Was 
she  a  Christian  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  her  death  was  more  like  a  translation, 
she  was  so  happy." 

"Then  it  is  not  necessary  for  you  to  wear 
black.     I  did  not  for  either  of  my  parents." 

Angela  did  not  mention  the  fact  that  she  was 


142 


BOARDINQH30HOOL. 


*i!. 


MiSill    •  ? 


scarcely  a  day  old  when  she  lost  her  mother, 
which  was  an  excellent  reason  for  not  putting  on 
mourning,  while  her  father  charged  Lindsay  not 
to  sadden  his  beloved  child  with  so  much  as  a 
black  ribbon  when  he  was  freed  from  the  loneliness 
of  life,  and  its  pains. 

On  the  following  Saturday  Angela  got  one  of 
the  younger  teachers  to  accompany  her  on  a 
round  of  shoppirg,  that  included  a  complete  out- 
fit for  herself  and  her  best  friend.  Miss  Buck- 
ingham, at  Lindsay's  suggestion,  had  stipulated 
that  she  might  have  a  certain  amount  each  month 
for  spending  money ;  thus  far  she  had  kept 
within  the  limited  sum.  Probably  she  had  never 
realized  so  keenly  how  convenient  it  is  to  have  a 
full  purse.  The  shopping  proceeded  very  satis- 
factorily ;  the  frocks  and  cloaks  were  bought,  and 
then  they  proceeded  to  the  millinery  store,  An- 
gela meanwhile  thinking  more  of  the  effect  her 
purchases  would  have  on  Dora  than  herself. 

"  Won't  she  look  so  pretty  in  this  hat  I  "  she 
exclaimed,  holding  up  a  dainty  bit  of  millinery. 

"  They  will  be  becoming  to  both  of  you." 

"  I  do  not  care  so  much  for  myself,  for  I  have 
always  had  plenty  of  hats,  and  she  niver  has ; 
you  know  that  makes  a  great  difference.  I 
wonder   how  it  feels  to  be   poor   and  to  have 


to  n 

reflet 

«( 

knoii 
"J 
your 
I  me) 
^way 
"I 
execul 
"I 
so  mu( 
I  shou 
minist( 
died, 
woult 
sea, 
says 

WOttlc 

own, 

The 
thoug 
she  spt 
Heavei 
of  boai 
that  uu 


>«»c«St.fir^-:'A  t 


BOARDIMQH9CH00L. 


148 


er 


he 


,ve 


to  reckon  every  penny  you  lay  out;,"  sl^o  said 
reflectively. 

**  Very  inconvenient  sometimes,  as  many  of  us 
know  to  our  sorrow." 

**  It  must  be  interesting,  though,  to  count  up 
your  money  and  see  how  far  you  can  make  it  go. 
T  mean,  after  I  am  my  own  mistress,  to  give 
^way  BO  much  that  I  shall  know  what  it  is  like." 

"  I  hope  you  may  live  to  put  your  plan  into 
execution." 

"  I  am  pretty  certain  of  living,  for  I  can  do 
BO  much  more  good  in  this  world  than  in  Heaven ; 
I  should  say  by  tb>^  time  there  were  plenty  of 
ministering  spirits,  so  many  holy  people  have 
died,  you  know;  if  I  were  to  die  my  money 
would  be  divided  among  my  relatives  across  the 
sea,  who  are  all  strangers  to  me,  and  Lindsay 
says  they  are  rich  enough  already ;  probably  th(|y 
would  just  put  my  money  in  the  bank  with  their 
own,  and  it  would  do  no  good  at  all." 

The  teacher  smiled,  but  made  no  reply,  al- 
though it  did  occur  to  her  to  ask  Angela  why 
she  spoke  with  such  assurance  about  going  to 
Heaven ;  it  was  not  customary  in  her  experience 
of  boarding-school  misses  to  hear  them  speak  of 
that  unknown  land. 


ive 


MrilHMiaBflMMi 


CHAPTER  X. 


8I81EB  DORA. 


The  garments  were  duly  received  that  evening, 
and  Dora  was  invited  to  Angela's  room  to  inspect 
them.  To  all  other  applicants  for  admission,  the 
single  inhospitable  word,  "  Engaged,"  had  been 
spoken.  This  was  all  the  more  provoking  to  said 
applicants,  since  it  was  generally  known  that  a 
box  had  arrived  that  day  from  the  Pines ;  a  box 
from  there  was  an  event,  for  every  one  of  the 
young  ladies  was  invited  to  share  in  its  contents, 
and  Lindsay  was  unanimously  conceded  to  be 
the  best  compounder  of  good  things  they  ever 
knew.  A  summons  to  Angela's  room  was,  there- 
fore, always  anxiously  expected. 

Dora  came  down  from  her  nest  under  the  roof 
very  joyously  in  response  to  Angela's  invitation 
at  teatime,  for  the  time  forgetting  that  a  small 
martyrdom  awaited  her  on  the  morrow  when  she 
must  appear  with  the  others,  when  they  gathered 

144 


•11  I 


BI8T&B  DORA. 


145 


for  ohuroh,  in  her  very  shabby  garmento.  An* 
gtila  had  her  dry  goods  laid  out  to  tlie  bu6t 
advantage  on  the  table,  and  when  Dora  oame  in 
she  was  sitting  demurely  waiitng  to  see  the  effect 
her  purchases  would  make. 

"  Oh  I  what  lovely  things,  and  such  quantities 
of  them,"  Dora  said,  pausing  abruptly  by  the 
table. 

"  We  will  look  just  like  sisters  when  we  get 
dressed  alike.  People  will  say,  'Aren't  those 
sisters  just  too  sweet  for  anything?'  That  is 
what  I  often  hear  them  say,"  Angela  added  by 
way  of  explanation. 

"  Did  you  mean  some  of  these  for  me  to  wear?" 
Dora's  eyes  were  shinirg  as  she  surveyed  them 
with  fresh  interest. 

"  Why,  certainly ;  I  just  want  yon  "^o  try  them 
on,  and  then  we  will  put  them  away,  for  I  must 
have  a  tea-party  to-night,  for  Lindsay's  good 
things  may  not  keep  until  Monday  evening." 

"  What  will  they  say  if  you  buy  my  cloihea 
forme?" 

"  Whatever  they  like ;  they  will  look  just  as 
nicely,  no  matter  what  they  Bay." 

Angela  watched  with  deep  satisfaction  ihe 
effect  of  the  rich  ostrich  plume  nestlii-g  amid 
the  brown  braids,  as  Dora  tried  on  the  hat ;  the 


141 


BTBTEK  DORA. 


.■■r 


tomntntion  to  do  ho  was  too  strong,  no  ninttfll* 
what  tlu-y  inif,'l\t  say.  To  see  lioiwlf  just  onco 
ill  a  l)W!oiuiiij(  liat  was  Koinethiiif;  to  ronienil)«r. 

"  Won't  tlio  teachers  bo  anjjry  when  tht>y  And 
yo»i  have  spent  ho  much  money  on  nie?" 

"  Miss  Hunter  was  with  me,  and  she  seemed 
t.)  think  it  was  a  very  comfortable  thing  to  have 
more  monciy  than  one  wants  for  themselves." 

"  I  don't  think  I  could  lot  any  other  girl  in 
the  world  but  you  do  this  for  mo,  but  then,  I  do 
not  think  there  is  another  girl  in  the  world  just 
like  ytm." 

Dora  turned,  and  with  an  uncontndlable  burst 
of  affection  took  Angola  in  her  arms,  kissing  her 
fondly.    . 

There  was  another  tap  at  the  door,  to  which 
Angela  responded  presently,  while  she  swept  hats, 
boots  and  garments  generally  into  a  trunk,  and 
then  bade  her  guest  enter,  looking  meanwhile 
considerably  flushed  and  guilty  ;  concealment, 
even  in  a  worthy  cause,  was  so  foreign  to  her 
nature,  it  was  painful  to  her.  Dora  was  sitting 
ns  far  in  the  shadow  as  possible,  and  was  not  at 
first  noticed  by  the  visitor. 

"  I  have  another  box  —  a  large  one  —  and  I 
want  all  the  girls  to  come.  You  and  Dora  please 
go  around  and  invite  them  while  I  get  ready." 


<n        i;« 


Km 


4 


TOO 
SO 

V7re 

goo 

Liu 

Hei 

beei 

abl( 

of  t 

lega 

S 

not 

scho 

but, 

plea 

nate 

Lin( 

getti 

the 

of  a 

T 

ende 

until 

theix 

renu 


SISTEB  DOBA. 


ur 


(^ 


The  girls  did  as  commanded,  each  one  taking 

a  separate  corridor.     In  a  few  minutes  Angela's 

room  was  overflowing  witix  damsels,  waiting  like 

so  many  hungry  birds  to  be  fed,  while  Angela 

v/restled  with  hammer  and  naUs,  until  finaUy  the 

goodly  array  of  edibles  was  spread  before  them. 

Lindsay  knew  nothing  of  the  horrors  of  dyspepsia. 

Her  forefathers,  from  force  of  circumstance,  had 

been  abstemious  livers,  aud  consequently  she  was 

able  to  enjoy  whatever  presented  itseK,  because 

of  a  healthy  digestion  —  one  of  the  few  precious 

legacies  she  had  inherited. 

She  could  not  understand  why  Angela  should 
not  supplement  the  plain  fare  of  the  boarding- 
school  with  rich  compounds  agreeable  to  the  taste, 
but,  like  the  forbidden  fruit,  apt  to  make  it  un- 
pleasant  afterward  for  the  consumer.  Fortu- 
nately for  Angela,  she  was  so  generous  with 
Lindsay's  delicacies  there  was  no  danger  of  her 
getting  more  than  was  good  for  her,  since,  in 
the  division,  her  share  was  usually  the  smallest 
of  any. 

The  work  of  distribution  and  consumption  was 
ended  at  last,  but  still  the  girls  linger-d  around 
until  the  study  bell  rang,  when  they  hastened  to 
their  rooms,  leaving  Angela  in  the  midst  of  the 
remains  which  had  to  be  cleared  away  before 


'f{ 


mmmmmm 


msm 


m 


148 


SISTER  DORA. 


bedtime.  Dora  lingered  till  they  had  all  left, 
when  the  garments  were  taken  from  their  hiding- 
pl;u!C  for  her  to  carry  to  her  room.  Angela  kept 
the  dress,  promising  to  have  it  ready  for  the  fol- 
lowing Sunday,  but  Dora  waited  a  moment  longer 
to  cast  an  admiring  glance  at  the  soft  blue  aash- 
mere  with  its  plush  trimmings.  What  a  glad- 
hearted  girl  it  was  that  blithely  ascended  the 
long  flights  of  stairs  to  the  bare,  chill  garret, 
with  no  companionship  save  the  sly  quadrupeds 
that  seem  the  natural  enemy  of  womenkind. 

Dora  concluded  that  night,  as  she  examined 
her  gifts  at  her  leisure  —  for  no  teacher  took  '  le 
trouble  to  climb  up  there  *c»  see-  if  she  studied 
her  lessons  —  that  she  could  easily  love  everybody 
after  the  lesson  in  love  she  had  just  received. 

The  following  week  the  pretty  frocks  were 
made,  and  after  tha'^  the  world  looked  a  good 
deal  brighter  to  the  soft  brown  eyes  gazing  out 
over  the  city's  spires  and  chimneys  from  the 
eyrie  in  the  top  of  the  huge  building.  A  good 
many  sorrows  can  be  assuaged  in  youthful  hearts 
by  becoming  garments,  and  the  woes  of  youth 
are  not  usually  very  lasting.  Dora  was  a  bright 
student,  and  soon  reflected  credit  oa  her  adopted 
sister;  at  the  close  of  the  first  term  she  came 
out  with  the  best  essay  that  was  produced. 


The 

above 

had  tl 

ning  t 

heard 

young 

aid's  ii 

snore  i 

was  th 

for  Ai 

made  i 

she  lili 

carry  1 

rather 

mine  c 

somewl 

friends 

and    Bi 

study,  ' 

least  bj 

trouble 

to  love 

signal  ; 

that  stt 

bar  to  i 

had  an 

Whe 


The  solitude  of  her  situation,  or  its  elevation 
above  the  world  and  things  in  general  may  have 
had  their  influence,  but  the  teachers  were  begin- 
ning to  regard  her  as  the  one  most  likely  to  be 
heard  from  in  after  years,  of  all  that  crowd  of 
young  maidens.     She  was  rapidly  effacing  Don- 
ald's image  from  Angela's  heart,  she  waa  so  much 
a?ore  responsive  to  affection's  touch ;  indeed,  that 
was  the  only  perplexity  about  their  intercourse, 
for  Angela's  long  association  with  Donald  had 
made  her  very  shy  about  revealing  her  heart,  and 
she  liked  best,  both  for  herself  and  others,  to 
carry  her  feelings  well  under  control ;  by  deeds 
rather  than  ^v^-rds,  proving  that  there  was  a  rich 
mine  of  affection   beneath  the  surface.     It  was 
somewhat  surprising  that  Angela's  two  dearest 
friends  thus  far  were  more  than  usually  studious 
and    successful  in   mastering   the   intricacies  of 
study,  while  she  was  herself  reckoned  among  the 
least  brilliant  in  the  school ;  but  this  fact  did  not 
trouble  her  now  as  heratofore,  for  Dora  seemed 
to  love  her  if  possible  even  better  after  some 
signal  failure  in  her  studies,  and  never  hinted 
that  stupidity  or  ignorance  should  be  the  slightest 
bar  to  their  intimacy  in  future  years,  as  Donald 
had  an  unfortunate  habit  of  doing. 

When  the  weather  got  very  cold,  Dora  used 


m 


150 


BISTER  DORA. 


to  come  timidly  knocking  at  Angela's  door  in 
study  hours,  shivering  with  the  cold,  and  scarcely 
able  to  go  on  with  her  studies.     It  was  no  use 
for  Angela  to  plead  with  her  to  share  the  com- 
forts  of  her  own  room  ;  but  a  severe  cold  taken 
at  Christmas,  and  which  increased  as  the  days 
went  by,  contrary  to  the  usage  of  well-regulated 
colds,  compelled  others  beside  Angela  to  inter- 
pose.    She  was  soon  too  sick  to  be  in  the  room 
with  any  one,  when  she  was  put   into  a  large, 
pleasant  room  used  as  a  hospital  for  the  sick 
students.     Here  she  rested  in  the  comfortable 
easy-chair,  or  lay  in  the  warm  bed,  her  cough 
not  nearly  so  painful  when  the -air  that  entered 
the   tender   lungs  was   tempered  by  a  grateful 
warmth.     She  began  to  think  it  was  nearly  as 
nice  to  be  sick  as  well,  especially  when  Angela 
sat  with  her  studying  the  lessons  aloud  for  both. 
Her  life  had  always  been  a  hard  one.     None 
but  the  bravest  would  have  forced  their  way  to 
such  a  position  as  she  now  c  icupied,  every  inch 
of  the  way  having  been  fought  for  desperately. 
As  she  lay  there  she  got  delicious  glimpses,  even 
in  her  pain,  of  what  life  might  be  if  one  did  not 
have  to  fight  and  work  all  the  time,  to  make 
their   way  through    the   crowded    thoroughfare 
through  which  her  path  had  led. 


"] 
prett; 
lie  ax 
did  X 
chanc 
a  pau 
pause 

"I 
expec 
in  my 

"II 

justai 

was  81 

scious 

had  s 

learn 

than  1 

mothe 

that  I 

for  a 

you  k 

their  c 

"A 

very   I 

moistu 

her  ch 

"I 


8IHTEB  DORA. 


161 


"  How  delightful  it  ig  to  be  warm,  and  to  have 
pretty  things  to  look  at,  with  nothing  to  do  but 
lie  and  rest  when  one  is  so  weak  and  tired.  I 
did  not  kno-  how  tired  I  was  until  I  got  the 
chance  to  rest  and  be  warm,"  she  said  one  day  in 
a  pause  in  the  lesson  Angela  was  studying  —  the 
pauses,  it  must  be  confessed,  were  frequent. 

"  I  never  thought  about  it  particularly,  but  I 
expect  it  is.  You  see,  I  was  never  very  sick 
in  my  life,  nor  very  tired  either." 

"  It  must  seem  odd  to  be  able  to  work  or  rest 
just  as  you  like.  I  have  had  to  work  ever  since  I 
was  such  a  tiny  child,"  she  continued,  with  uncon- 
scious patiios.  "  This  is  the  first  long  rest  I  have 
had  since  I  was  old  enough  to  pull  bastings  and 
learn  the  alphabet.  I  do  not  think  I  was  more 
than  three  years  eld  when  I  began  to  help  my 
mother.  She  was  so  ambitious  for  me  —  wanted 
that  I  should  be  a  scholar,  and  not  have  to  sew 
for  a  living.  She  thought  I  might  be  clever  — 
you  know  mothers  always  thiqk  the  very  best  of 
their  children,"  she  added  apologetically. 

"  And  you  are  clever,"  Angela  said,  winking 
very  hard,  for  there  had  come  an  unwelcome 
moisture  into  her  eyes,  caused  by  Dora's  story  of 
her  childhood. 

"  I  wonder  if  I  have  had  all  my  struggles  in 


ffiWfmiri 


163 


SISTER  DORA. 


vain  ?  Do  you  think  when  we  die  that  we  get 
any  better  start  in  the  next  life  if  we  have  tried 
to  make  the  most^  of  ourselves  here  —  1  mean 
that  part  of  us  that  goes  on  to  other  worlds?" 
She  spoke  dreamily  ;  as  if  those  other  unknown 
worlds  were  beginning  to  seem  more  real  and 
blessed  than  the  one  in  which  she  had  found 
such  hard  fighting  to  make  her  way  worthily. 

"  Surely  you  are  not  thinking  of  dying  —  of 
leaving  me  alone."  As  if  one  could  do  otherwise 
when  the  flame  refused  to  burn  longer. 

"  I  cannot  make  myself  live  when  the  doctors 
fail,"  she  said,  with  a  wan  smile.  "  If  I  had  my 
choice  I  would  certainly  get  well  and  work  harder 
than  ever  to  be  a  scholar  some  day  —  have  the 
right  to  lie  down  and  rest  when  I  was  tired,  and 
to  have  a  pi-etty  place  to  take  my  rest  in,"  she 
added  presently,  as  if  that  would  be  as  desirable 
as  the  rest  itself. 

"  You  shall  come  home  with  me  next  summer 
and  rest  all  the  time ;  I  will  fit  up  a  room  any 
way  you  wish,"  Angela  said  eagerly. 

"  I  have  always  had  such  happy  fancies  about 
the  Pines  aince  first  you  told  me  the  name  of 
your  hoine.  I  could  not  tell  you  how  I  have 
longed  to  go  there  with  you,  some  happy  summer 
when  I  could  aSord  it ;  I  have  tried  to  imagine 


the  birdi 

flowers  — 

their  gil 

without  ] 

so  crowd 

that  who] 

whole  ni^ 

"  Next 

you  want 

hou8e-cle{ 

they  had 

rooms,  be 

out  doon 

busy  8eas( 

own  home 

Angela 

hire  Don 

leading  oi 

that  dim, 

out  from 

attempting 

youth  and 

tempt  a  vi 

"  Next  I 

wonderful 

gela  I  it  m 

we  are  yoi 


-™ra:eif '¥!>■;/'.'' 3^. IJJ*. 


Ill, II  IIIIIIMiBit 


8I8TEB  DORA. 


158 


the  birds  and  bees  flitting  among  the  trees  and 
flowers  —  the  orchards  in  bloom,  and  then  with 
their  gift  of  fruitage  —  the  wide,  clean  fields 
without  houses  and  people.  I  have  always  been 
so  crowded  you  cannot  imagine  how  I  enjoyed 
that  whole  flat  under  the  roof  all  to  myself,  the 
whole  night  long,  until  it  got  so  cold." 

"Next,  summer  you  shall  have  all  the  space 
you  want.  I  heard  Lindsay  complaining  once  in 
house<cleaning  time,  of  the  quantities  of  space 
they  had  to  go  over.  She  said  there  were  twenty 
rooms,  besides  closets.  Then  you  shall  have  all 
out  doors ;  there  is  only  Wardell,  except  in 
busy  seasons,  and  then  the  men  all  sleep  at  their 
own  homes." 

Angela  talked  eagerly ;  as  if  she  would  try  to 
hire  Dora  to  postpone  that-  other  long  journey 
leading  on  to  the  eternities  and  infinities,  until 
that  dim,  tiresome  period  when  old  age  shuts  us 
out  from  the  keener  joys  of  this  world,  perhaps 
attempting  to  make  us  willing  to  leave  them  for 
youth  and  eternal  gladness,  but  finding  the  at- 
tempt a  vain  one  in  so  many  cases. 

"  Next  summer  —  where  will  I  be  then  ?  what 
wonderful  visions  may  I  not  have  seen  ?  O,  An- 
gela I  it  must  be  lovely  to  die,  no  matter  whether 
we  are  young  or  old,  if  God  only  takes  us  where 


ir>4 


SISTER  DORA. 


he  is.  I  get  trying  to  think  what  Heaven  is  like 
when  I  lie  here  at  night  and  remember  what  you 
huve  told  me  about  the  Pines ;  you  know  I  never 
once  saw  the  real  conntry —  »rbere  things  were 
left  just  Vif*  God  made  them.  You  v.ould  not 
rointl.  very  much  if  you  knew  I  was  living  some- 
wiiere  just  as  really  as  I  lived  here  —  perhaps 
more  keenly,  grandly  alive  than  any  one  ever  is 
ou  this  earth,  that  has  no  light  o'  its  own." 

She  paused,  and  turned  an  <>nger  look  on  An- 
gela, who  was  arpiirently  absorbeil  ia  her  book, 
but  Dora  knew  better,  and  went  on : 

"  You  sui-ely  would  not  feel  baiUy,  dear,  if  you 
knew  I  was  still  loving  you  somewhere,  just  as 
really  as  i  loved  you  here?  That  will  be  ono 
reason  why  I  shall  be  glad  to  die  now  :  I  won't 
ever  love  any  one  better  than  you." 

"  I  woidd  not  care  if  you  did,  if  only  you 
wouldn't  die,"  Angela  sobbed. 

"  1  used  to  beg  my  mother  not  to  die  —  as  if 
she  would  willingly  have  left  her  only  child 
orphaned,"  Dora  murmured  softly. 

"I  understand  your  meaning,"  Angela  whis- 
pered. "Won't  you  promise  me,  though,  to  do 
everything  yon  can  to  get  well  ?  I  went  to  the 
president  myself,  and  told  hin.  to  get  the  Ik-  t 
doctors  in  the  city,  and  I  v'o*dO  pay  their  bills.' 


"  What  did  he  say  ?  "  with  a  look  of  unutter- 
able  affection  at  the  bright,  loving  creature  so 
eager  to  hold  her  back  from  death. 

"  He  said  they  would  do  everything  in  their 
power  for  you ;  it  was  wicked  to  leave  you  up 
there  in  the  cold,  but  they  had  forgotten  you 
were  there." 

"It  was  my  own  fault,"   Dora  said  gently. 
"When    I   came   here  I  told   them    how  little 
money  I  had,  and  asked  permission  to  sleep  on 
one  of  the  forms   in   the  schoolroom,  and  take 
whatever  might  be  left  to  go  to  waste  from  the 
table  for  my  food.     I  think  they  pitied  me,  for 
they  said  I  should  come  to  the  table  with  the 
rest,  and  they  would  fit  up  a  bed  for  me  in  the 
attic.     It  was  so  much  better  than  I  expected,  I 
should  have  been  quite  happy  at  once,  if  the 
young  ladies  had  not  looked  at  me  as  they  did  ; 
but  then  you  took  me  up  so  soon,  and  it  has  been 
all  sunshine  since  then  ;  I  am  so  glad  God  gave 
me  a  little  bit  of  brightness  before  he  took  me 
out  of  the  world ;  one  likes  to  know  something  of 
all  sorts  of  experiences." 

"  Don't  let  us  talk  any  more,"  Angela  sobbed. 
« I  will  go  on  studying  these  Greek  verbs,"  she 
adder!,  affair  a  long  silence,  when  she  had  got  her 
iteelmgs  under  control  sufficiently  to  speak  calmly. 


■■a 


166 


BISTER  DOBA. 


"  Very  well,  dear ;  I  will  learn  them  with  you," 
Dofa  said  patiently,  although  she  felt  like  any 
thing  just  then  but  wrestling  with  verba  of  any 
kind. 

In  the  long  hours  of  solitude,  when  she  bore 
lier  pain  in  silence,  the  belief  had  slowly  forced 
itself  upon  her  that  only  for  a  little  while  would 
she  need  the  speech  of  mortals.  At  first  there 
had  been  the  natural  shrinking  from  death,  but 
by  degrees  her  thoughts  had  been  going  out  into 
clearer  light,  and  the  world  unseen  was  coming 
nearer,  and  she  was  finding  that  — 

"  The  soul's  dark  cottaRc,  battered  and  decayed, 
T^t  in  new  light  through  chinks  dlHciusc  had  made." 

The  bitterest  parting  of  all  was  with  Angela — 
sister  Angela,  as  she  called  her  now  in  her  heart. 
Sometimes,  too,  in  a  timid  way,  when  she  ad- 
dressed her,  she  would  say,  dear  little  sister ;  but 
she  noticed  at  such  times,  the  deepening  color  in 
the  fine,  clear-cut  face,  and  the  quivering  lip,  for 
Angela  could  hardly  bear  anything  now  either  in 
speech  or  manner  tliat  was  specially  tender  from 
Dora.  She  still  ta(ked  eagerly  of  the  summer 
time,  when  Dora  was  in  lie  in  the  hammock  in  the 
rose  garden,  and  listen  to  the  robins  and  swal- 


SISTER  DORA. 


167 


lows,  and  all  the  feathered  oreatnrea  whose  homeii 
were  built  in  the  quiet  gardens  and  woods  at  thu 
Pines.  Dora  used  to  lie  with  a  wistful,  dreamy 
look  on  her  face,  while  Angela  discussed  their 
plans,  as  if  she  were  listening  to  other  voice  >  that 
no  ears  save  her  own  could  hear,  and  somc^-inies, 
it  must  be  confessed,  wishing  with  a  melancholy 
regret,  that  this  great  joy  had  not  come  so  late, 
but  surely  she  would  still  bo  among  the  gardens 
and  song  birds  of  another  country. 

One  day  when  Angela  had  been  reading  to  her 
from  a  well-worn  copy  of  "  The  Imitation  of 
Chi-ist"  —  which,  with  the  Bible  and  hymn  book, 
were  all  the  literature  she  craved  —  she  interrupted 
the  reading  by  asking,  '*  Do  those  small  marble 
head-stones  cost  much  ?  " 

Angela  laid  down  the  book  and  for  an  instant 
turned  paler  than  the  face  on  the  pillow,  which 
often  wore  now  the  flush  of  apparent  health. 
"  Not  very  much ;  did  you  want  one  for  your 
mother  ?  "  she  asked,  as  if  that  were  the  only 
possible  reason  there  could  be  for  such  a  question. 

*>  I  was  not  thinking  about  her,  but  I  have 
wished  so  many  times  I  could  have  something  to 
remind  you  of  me.  I  have  my  mother's  wedding 
ring,  and  some  books ;  perhaps  if  they  were  sold 
they  might  get  nearly  enough,  and  you  could  give 


158 


BIBTBR  DORA. 


'r 


r 


:" 


*. 


soinothing.     I   would   like  you  to  put  on   it  — 
'  Dora,  from  niHtor  Angola.'  " 

"  People  that  aru  alivo  and  well  do  not  need 
gravuHtonuB ;  and  then,  it  would  not  be  a  gift 
from  mo  if  your  own  money  bought  it."  Angola 
spoke  a  trifle  impatiently. 

"  I  did  not  tliink  of  that ;  but  you  would  pay 
Homothing  on  it  —  just  a  few  dollars.  Some  day 
I  would  like  you  to  bring  your  own  little  children 
and  tell  them  about  me  —  how  you  helped  me  to 
know  what  p.  lovely  world  this  is  just  for  a  short 
wliile  before  God  took  me  to  a  still  better  world." 

"  You  are  not  going  to  die,  darling  ;  you  look 
nearly  as  well  as  ever." 

For  some  time  there  had  been  no  mention  of 
death  or  other  worlds,  and  Angela  was  growing 
quite  cheerful,  and  getting  accustomed  to  see  her 
friend  lie  idly  in  her  bed,  all  her  ambition  for 
study  gone. 

"  I  shall  never  be  quite  so  well  any  other  day 
as  I  am  to-day,  for  each  hour  the  disease  is  get- 
ting nearer  the  life  mark.  I  am  sorry  to  grieve 
you,  dear"  —  Angela's  head  was  buried  out  of 
sight  in  the  bedclothes  now,  and  her  whole  frame 
shaken  convulsively  —  "  but  I  wanted  to  tell 
you  some  things  I  should  like  you  to  think  of 
when  I  am  gone." 


Shew 

hand  get 

"Wot 

some  othi 

ing  so  mi 

above  it, 

Oh  I  if  y 

here  you 

Heaven  i 

gardens." 

She  pai 

think  she 

"  I  wil 

came,  low 

"And\ 

your  heart 

There  w 

heart  lone 

that  brief 

"Yes." 

For  a  wl 

whispered, 

sister?" 

"Ohll 
looking  on 
No  furtb 
came  and  I 


BIHTEB  DOHA. 


169 


Sho  was  silent  for  awhile,  the  thin,  trembling 
hand  gently  stroking  the  bowed  head. 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  nice,  dear,  for  you  to  take 
Botno  other  girl  in  my  place  ?  I  have  been  think- 
ing so  much  about  your  home,  and  the  deep  skies 
above  it,  not  shut  out  of  sight  by  grim  houses. 
Oh  I  if  you  knew  how  some  hearts  are  stifling 
hero  you  would  let  them  have  a  glimpse  of  what 
Heaven  is  like  through  your  green  fields  and 
gardens." 

She  paused  timidly,  afraid  lest  Angela  might 
think  sho  had  asked  too  much. 

•'  I  will  do  anything  you  wish,"  the  answer 
came,  low  and  brokenly. 

"  And  will  you  always  call  me  sister  Dora  in 
your  heart  ?  " 

There  was  such  longing  in  the  voice  —  all  the 
heart  loneliness  of  her  life  found  expression  in 
that  brief  sentence. 

"Yes."    The  answer  came  with  a  sob. 

For  a  while  they  were  silent,  and  then  Angela 
whispered,  "■  Wherever  you  go  won't  you  call  me 
sister?" 

*'  Oh !  I  shall  be  so  glad ;  I  am  certain  the  mere 
looking  on  death  won't  make  me  forget." 

No  further  words  were  spoken  until  the  nurse 
came  and  Angela  was  dismissed  to  her  own  room. 


[% 


: 


I     i 


160 


BISTER  DORA. 


'm 


hS\ 


mm 


For  her  sake,  as  well  as  Dora's,  the  time  they 
were  permitted  to  be  together  was  brief.  No 
doubt  the  germs  of  consumption  were  lurking  in 
Dora's  system,  received  partly  by  inheritance, 
and  then  developed  by  the  lack  of  proper 
nourishment,  and  hardship  of  various  kinds  from 
childhood. 

It  did  not  take  the  disease  long  to  com^-lete  its 
work.  One  morning  Angela  went  i^  usual  to 
inquire  for  her  friend,  and  was  met  at  the  door 
by  the  nurse,  who  told  her  the  end  had  come. 

"  It  is  ouriou.  that  one  so  young  should  be 
able  to  sense  about  thugs  as  she  did." 

"  What  things  ?  "  Angela  apked  through  her 
tears.  How  she  longed  to  know  every  v/ord  that 
had  been  uttered,  to  discover  how  Death  really 
looked  when  Dora  saw  him  face  to  face. 

"  Why,  she  seemed  to  realize  better  than  most 
I  see  die,  that  the  Lord  had  died  specially  for 
her,  and  was  waiting  to  take  her  right  into  glory^ 
She  wa'n't  the  least  mite  afraid.  It's  curious 
the  way  folks  act  when  they  come  to  die."  The 
woman  generalized  too  much  to  please  Angela. 

"•  Did  she  leave  any  message  for  me  ?  "  she 
asked  wistfully. 

"  Yes ;  she  wanted  to  see  you,  but  we  con- 
cluded we'd  best  not  waken  you  out  of  a  sound 


sU 


mm 


mmmm 


SISTER  DOBA. 


t61 


sleep  in  the  middle  of  the  night.  It's  always 
trying  on  young  folks,  especially  when  you  dis- 
turb them  to  see  a  friend  die.  She  told  me  to 
tell  you  she'd  be  looking  for  you  all  along  for 
sixty  or  seventy  years,  and  that  you  needn't  be 
fearing  death  all  your  life,  for  it  wasn't  much, 
after  all.  She  kept  her  faculties  wonderful.  I 
believe  she'd  been  uncommon  smart  if  she'd  lived. 
I  never  watched  by  one  just  like  her." 

"  Was  that  aU?" 

"  Well,  it's  about  as  much  as  I  can  remember. 
I've  a  dreadful  poor  memory  for  conversation. 
Maybe  I'll  think  of  some  more  by  and  by,"  she 
added,  seeing  how  eagerly  Angela  was  waiting 
for  some  further  and  last  messages  from  her 
friend. 

"  Yes,  I  do  remember.  Just  the  last  thing 
she  opened  her  eyes  sort  of  quick,  as  if  she  saw 
more  than  the  rest  of  u^,  and  said  :  '  Tell  Angela 
she  will  be  a  sister  to  a  ^^i-eat  many.  I  under- 
stand more  now.'  She  nevei-  spoke  again,  only 
to  ask  to  be  moved.  Like  most  of  the  dying,  she 
was  restless  at  the  last." 

Angela  shivered.  Across  her  young  life  Death 
had  again  cast  his  shadow.  She  turned  away, 
not  asking  to  see  the  battered  case  that  had  con- 
tained the  jewel  she  called  friend,  nor  did  she 


SISTER   DOBA. 

enter  the  room  again  until  long  weeks  after, 
when  another  schoolmate  had  been  taken  there, 
and  particularly  requested  to  see  her.  The  tomb- 
stone was  bought,  and  the  words  carved  upon  it 
that  Dora  desired,  and  Angela  went  back  to  the 
routine  of  daily  study,  feeling  a  loneliness  that 
all  the  merry  throng  of  schooUnates  could  not 
banish. 


As  th 
became  i 
made  to 
it,  to  the 
flded  he 
than  an^ 
and  she  i 
"Wha 
was  the 
request. 

"A  gi 
such  inte 
have  beei 
and  how  ] 
"You 
read ;  it  i 
anthropio 
"Is  it 


CHAPTER  XI. 


IN    THE    SLUMS. 

As  the  midsummer  holidays  drew  near,  Angela 
became  increasingly  anxious  to  f  ulfiU  her  promise 
made  to  Dora,  to  take  some  one  who  longed  for 
it,  to  the  pure  stillness  of  the  country.  She  con- 
fided her  anxiety  to  Miss  Hunter,  who,  more 
than  any  of  the  teachers,  drew  her  confidence, 
and  she  felt  sure  she  would  give  her  good  advice. 

"What  an  odd  fancy  for  one  at  your  age," 
WM  the  rather  unsympathetic  response  to  her 
request. 

"  A  great  many  people  do  it.  I  have  read 
such  interesting  stories  about  the  chUdren  who 
have  been  taken  to  the  country  for  a  few  weeks, 
and  how  good  and  Kappy  they  were." 

"You  must  not  believe  iJl  the  stories  you 
read ;  it  is  vasUy  easier  to  be  unselfish  and  phil- 
anthropic on  paper  than  in  actual  life." 

"  Is  it  right  to  choose  those  things  that  are 

168 


164 


IK  THE  BLUMS. 


easiest?  If  the  Lord  Jesus  had  done  that  where 
would  our  world  have  been  by  this  time  ? ' 

*'The  case  is  different.  He  left  Heaven  to 
redeem  this  lost  world ;  no  one  else  could  have 
done  it." 

"  It  may  be  no  one  else  will  help  those  I  am 
anxious  to  take  to  the  country.  I  shall  choose 
the  ones  who  know  nothing  about  what  is 
good." 

"  Why,  my  dear  girl,  they  will  be  the  worst 
ones  for  you  to  undertake.  You  have  no  idea 
how  dreadfully  wicked  even  little  children  be- 
come when  they  have  only  evil  influences  sur- 
rounding them." 

"  You  will  go  with  me  in  search  of  that  kind, 
for  they  need  us  most  ?  " 

'*  It  will  be  easy  finding  such  ;  all  we  need  do 
is  to  go  to  some  mission  chapel  in  the  worst 
parts  of  the  city  and  make  known  your  desire." 

"  Shall  we  go  next  Sunday  ?  "  Angela  asked 
eagerly. 

"  Yes,  if  you  are  determined ;  but  remember, 
I  have  warned  you  of  what  the  consequences  may 
bo.  No  doubt  you  have  many  valuable  articles 
about  your  house.  I  would  advise  you  to  keep 
them  securely  under  lock  and  key." 

"Lindsay  will  attend  to  that,"  Angela  said 


with    a 

objectioi 

Hunter' 

Thei 

her  teacj 

The  wa] 

were  des 

one  mer< 

ized  that 

had  to  St 

summer 

down  in 

among   t 

longed  fc 

"I  wo 

street  ?  " 

place  yrsii 

to  be  in  i 

of  it." 

"The 
whole  life 
until  you 
The  tci 
she  g^lanc 
sights  anc 
was  afrai 
uneasy. 


IN  THB  SLUMS. 


166 


with  a  smilo,  well  knowing  that  Lindsay's 
objections  and  forebodingpi  would  exceed  Miss 
Huntei's. 

The  following  Sunday  afternoon  Angela  and 
her  teacher  started  out  on  their  mission  of  mercy. 
The  walk  was  a  long  one,  through  streets  that 
were  desolate  enough  to  cast  a  shadow  over  any 
one  merely  passing  through  them,  when  they  real- 
ized that  thousands  of  women  and  little  children 
had  to  stay  in  those  pent-up  places  day  and  night, 
summer  and  winter,  until  the  weary  bodies  lay 
down  in  the  deep  sleep,  finding  a  rest  at  last 
among  the  green  trees  and  g^rasses  they  had 
longed  for,  but  longed  in  vain. 

"  I  wonder  will  some  of  them  come  from  this 
street  ?  "  Angela  shivered  as  she  spoke.  The 
place  was  so  dark  and  vile  it  seemed  a  pollution 
to  be  in  it  at  aU.  ''  I  am  so  glad  Dora  thought 
of  it." 

'*The  poor  thing  knew  all  abont  it,  for  her 
whole  life  had  been  spent  in  such  places  as  this 
until  you  knew  her." 

The  tears  were  standing  in  Angela's  eyes  as 
she  glanced  around  timidly.  There  were  such 
sights  and  sounds  on  every  side,  no  wonder  she 
was  afraid.  Miss  Hunter,  too,  looked  a  little 
uneasy. 


*C&1I 


IS  THB  BLUH8« 


"  I  am  afraid  I  have  done  wrong  in  permit- 
ting you  to  come  here,  running  such  risks." 

"What  risks?" 

She  heHitated,  and  then  said  evasively,  "  Well, 
one  risk  is  the  taking  children  from  such  places 
to  your  innocent  home." 

"What  do  you  think  the  Lord  Jesus  would 
say  if  he  were  walking  here  with  us  to-day,  and 
coidd  tell  me  what  to  do?  " 

"  I  expect  He  would  advise  you  to  do  just  what 
you  are  intending  to  do." 

"Don't  you  think  He  would  say  that  clean 
houses  were  not  worth  so  much  as  human  souls 
for  whom  He  died?"  You  know  1  may  teach 
them  to  love  Him.     I  shall  try  to." 

They  reached  the  chapel  at  last.  It  was 
located  in  one  of  the  worst  streets  of  the  great 
city.  The  faces  they  saw  watching  them  through 
the  doors  and  windows  were  sodden  and  evil,  in 
keeping  with  the  vile,  ill-smelling  place  where 
they  burrowed.  It  was  with  a  feeling  of  relief 
they  gained  the  shelter  of  the  chapel,  as  if  they 
had  got  back  to  humanizing  influences,  and  the 
light  Christianity  sheds. 

Angela  turned  and  looked  back  through  the 
dreadful  way  they  had  come. 

<*  I  expect  all  the  world  would  be  just  like  this 


) 


n  permit- 
ks." 

"  WeU, 
ich  places 

BUS  would 
0-day,  and 

>  just  whbt 

that  clean 
iman  souls 
may  teach 

;.  It  was 
if  the  great 
em  through 
and  evil,  in 
place  where 
ag  of  relief 
,  as  if  they 
}es,  and  the 

through  the 

lust  like  this 


'^ 


IS  THE  8LUMB. 


167 


if  it  were  not  for  our  pure  religion,"  she  said 
reflectively.  "Don't  you  think  it  very  strange 
that  Christian  people  can  sit  quieUy  in  their  homes 
while  they  know  they  have  such  neighbors?  " 

«  What  can  they  do  ?  These  p  3ople  have  the 
same  chance  in  the  world  that  the  rest  of  us 
have;  it  is  their  own  fault  that  they  are  so 
wretched." 

"  If  they  were  bom  here  and  don't  know  any 
better,  how  can  they  help  themselves?  The 
people  who  have  the  best  chances  to  be  good  find 
it  hard  to  keep  straight  always,  so  what  can  we 
expect  from  these  ?  " 

"  Well,  it  seems  that  we  need  not  expect  any 
thing  but  what  is  evU  from  them  or  their  children. 
If  whole  colonies  of  them  could  be  transported 
somewhere  out  of  reach  of  the  better  class  of 
humanity,  it  would  be  a  fortunate  thing." 

"  Death  is  exporting  them  somewhere  out  of 
our  reach  every  day,  but  I  believe  it  is  as  much 
our  duty  to  make  them  good  men  and  women  as 
it  is  to  try  to  be.  such  ourselves." 

Angela  spoke  in  a  hopeless  way,  however,  for 

the  oaths  that  were  every  few  moments  borne  to 

them  on  the  heavy,  languorous  air  were  discour- 

aging  to  so  youthful  and  innocent  a  reformer. 

When  they  entered  the  chapel  they  were  sur- 


1G8 


IN  TUE  BLUMS. 


■   In 


prii  '  to  fi^  1  it  9Uoh  a  cheering  contrast  to 
fch<  ,  v«t>  .  io'f  its  intr  ior  was  as  plaiu  as 
MJ«»6*  !,  ',  if'v-  '  t  usually  are,  its  sole  ornamonta- 
tio.  a  iov.  «i\c*;>  pictures  and  mottoes.  There 
were  painted  f or  .  \  small  platform  with  read- 
ing desk  and  cane-seated  arm  chaurs,  a  large 
stove  near  the  entrance,  and  that  comprised  its 
entire  furnishing.  There  was  a  fair  gathering  of 
children,  dirty,  ill-clad,  and,  for  the  most  part, 
ill-looking,  Angela  decided  after  she  had  taken 
a  hasty  survey  of  the  room. 

A  young  man  was  presiding  at  the  desk,  and 
a  pale,  tired-faced  girl  whom  they  afterward  dis- 
covered to  be  a  missionary  among  the  people 
here,  sat  near  him.     There  were  several  other 
young  men,  and  a  few  middle-aged  women,  sitting 
with  the  different  groups  of  children,  presumably 
their  teachers.     The  young  raau  who  seemed  to 
have  charge  cordially  welcomed  the  new-comers, 
while  they  were  critically  surveyed  by  every  boy 
and  girl  in  the  room.     Angela  returned  the  gaze 
quite   as   critically,  since  she  had  considerably 
more  anxiety  on  the  matter  of  appearances  than 
they.     Miss  Hunter  made  known  their  errand  at 
once  to  the  superintendent,  who  showed  more  ex- 
pressively by  his  face  than  words,  the  mixture  of 
surprise  and  pleasure  he  felt. 


^:-- 


nr  THE  BLUMS. 


lee 


"  How  man-  Bho^'  you  take,  and  how  long  are 
they  to  stay  with  you  ?  "  he  asked. 

"I  had  not  thought  about  it  particularly,  but 
they  can  stay  until  they  get  tired.  I  would  pre- 
for  the  poorest  ones,  who  most  need  a  change. 

"Probably  if  you  keep  them  until  they  get 
tired  they  wiU  never  return.  That  is  the  usual 
experience  of  the  few  who  get  a  chance  in  the 
country  for  a  few  weeks." 

«  Won't  two  do  to  begin  with  ?  "  Miss  Hunter 

4tWe  have  room  for  a  score,  but  Lindsay 
might   object   to    so  many,"   Angela  responded 

cautiously.  ,.,        , 

»  One  could  not  blame  her  if  she  did;  a  dozen 
of  these  let  into  a  country  house  would  work 
more  mischief  in  a  week  than  could  be  repaired 
in  a  twelvemonth," 

"You  would  be  surprised  how  well  the  ma- 
jority of  them  conduct  themselves,  when  they  are 
sent  to  the  generous  people  who  volunteer  to  take 
one  or  two  for  a  holiday  in  the  country,"  the 
superintendent  said  gently. 

"How  many  had  I  better  invite?"  Angela 
turned  to  him  with  an  air  of  relief  ;  he  could  de- 
cide better  than  any  one. 

"I  would  suggest  two  to  begin  wich  — but, 


'  -I  • 


ISr  THK  BLUBfS. 


excuse  me,  will  your  friends  be  willing  for  you 
to  take  these  city  waifs?" 

"  I  ha\  ^  no  one  to  consult  save  my  housekeeper. 
I  am  quite  certain  she  will  object  to  a  single  one, 
HO  I  might  as  well  have  trouble  with  a  good  many 
as  only  one."  She  spoke  with  the  calmness  born 
of  certain  conviction.  The  superintendent  smiled, 
but  said  nothing  farther  by  way  of  remonstrance. 

"  There  are  two  that  I  would  like  you  to  take 
if   you   are  not  anxious  to  make  the  selection 

yourself." 

"  Oh  1  no,  indeed  ;  you  are  the  best  judge  in 

the  matter." 

"  They  need  help  about  as  much  as  any,  and 
they  are  as  good  and  trusty  as  any  in  the  school 
—  a  brother  and  sister.  Perhaps  you  are  not 
v/illing  to  include  boys  in  your  charity,"  he 
added,  seeing  the  quick  glance  of  surprise  she 
bestowed  on  him. 

"  I  did  not  think  of  taking  boys,  but  if  you 
think  best  I  will  take  one.  I  dare  not  venture 
on  two."  Lindsay's  possible  wrath  at  even  one 
was  making  her  quake  already. 

"  I  shall  not  ask  for  any  more,  but  you  will 
find  this  lad  easier  to  conti-ol  than  most  of  the 
girls.  He  is  a  fine,  manly  fellow,  much  superior 
to  his  sister,  but  I  could  not  separate  them.     He 


ji>MB»IH>iili  II I  ■jam'lii  II  i"'«ii'  ""■■tr" 


»;si5:,s'?"i£' 


IV  THE  BLUMS. 


171 


.<; 


>r  you 


I 


teems  to  have  quite  a  fatherly  care  over  her,  and 
I  know  he  wouhl  not  consent  to  go  without  her." 

"  Have  they  no  parents?  " 

*'  No  ;  they  are  orphans,  but  were  well  trained 
while  their  mother  lived,  and  were  under  good 
home  influences.  It  ic  the  old  story,  too  often  re- 
peated, of  persons  unfitted  for  the  struggle  for 
life  in  a  city,  coming  here  to  earn  their  bread 
with  no  proper  way  of  doing  it.  The  father's 
health  failed  in  the  country  and  he  came  to  the  city 
thinking  to  get  light  work  suited  to  his  strength, 
but  he  died  very  soon  ;  his  wife  had  no  trade  — 
could  play  on  the  piano  indifferently,  paint  in 
much  the  same  way,  do  fancy  work  that  no  one 
cared  for,  and  that  was  her  equipment  for  success. 
She  did  not  long  outlast  her  husband,  leaving 
these  children  to  care  for  themselves." 

"Are  they  here?"  Angela  asked,  the  whole 
miserable  picture  passing  quickly  before  her 
mind. 

"  Yea ;  do  you  see  that  little  girl  just  in  front 
by  the  lady  in  gray?  Her  eyes  are  fixed  just 
now  very  atlmiringly  on  you  —  very  sharp  black 
eyes,  if  you  stop  to  examine  them." 

Angela  nodded  her  head,  too  much  interested 
in  studying  the  face  of  her  new  child  to  otherwise 
respond.     The  boy  was  next  pointed  out  —  a  fine, 


open-faood  lad  with  blue  eyea,  bruad  forehead 
ovtir  whidh  the  brown  curlH  chistorcd  vory  prettily 
Aii<;ola  thought,  but  the  fuce  watt  painfully  hun- 
gry-looking and  pinched.  IIow  thonu  thin  eheekn 
wouhl  round  out  on  tlin>  well-eooked,  abundant 
food  at  the  Pines  I 

"Who  takes  care  of  them?"  was  her  eager 
inquiry  I 

"They  mostly  take  care  of  themselves.  We 
give  them  soup  tickets  and  what  cast-off  garments 
we  can  spare,  and  they  have  to  attend  to  the  rest 
thuniHelveH." 

"  Where  do  they  live  ?  " 

"Anywhere  they  can  flnd*a  place  to  sleep  in. 
They  usually  come  here  to  eat  their  bite  and  to 
warm  themselves  ;  it  is  the  only  home  they  know. 
When  nothing  else  oifers  I  have  let  them  sleep 
here.  I  could  not  turn  them  out  on  a  freezing 
night,  without  so  much  as  a  blanket  to  wrap 
around  them." 

"  Please  do  not  tell  me  any  more  now."  Her 
eyes  were  full  of  tears,  her  lips  quivering  with 
suppressed  emotion. 

"  You  would  soon  get  used  to  such  things,  and 
you  would  be  surprised  how  happy  they  are  over 
such  a  little  thing,  and  they  remember  pleasures 
so  long  —  I  mean  all  of  these  children.     We  are 


, "  riiirniri  mirr '•""""'  •"'•"  -"^ 


ead 

tily 
inn- 
!pk« 
laiit 

iger 

We 

BDtfl 

rest 


'  in. 
1  to 
low. 
leep 
8ing 
Tap 

Her 
irith  ' 

And 
ver 
ires 
are 


TK  TirE  BLUMS. 


m 


planning  to  take  them  all  to  the  Bea«hore  Home 
day  tluH  Humnter,  if  we  uan  afford  it.  Some  of 
your  rich  pooplt*  who  ox|N*ct  to  cfo  to  Euroiw,  luid 
to  Hpoiid  thouHandn  of  dollars  on  the  trip,  do  not 
look  forward  to  it  with  a  tithe  of  the  itatisfatttion 
that  these  uhildrcn  do  to  that  one  day  in  the 
country  with  al'  tlie  goo<l  food  they  can  eat." 

**  You  surely  .von't  disappoint  them  ?  "  Angola 
asked  anxiously. 

'*  Not  if  we  can  h<4p  it ;  hut  money  is  very 
scarce  with  us,  and  otten  wc  cannot  do  all  that 
we  wish." 

♦'■  Would  it  cost  a  great  deal  of  money  ?  "  she 
asked  with  a  little  catching  of  the  hreath. 

♦'  Well,  it  depends  on  how  you  reckon  very 
much.  The  railroutl  takes  them  for  almost  noth- 
ing, but  they  have  to  be  fed.  I  do  not  think  at 
the  least  calculation  we  can  do  it  for  less  than 
twenty-five  dollars,  and  that  is  a  good  deal  to 
make  up  for  one  day's  pleasuring." 

''  Never  think  of  di8ap{>ointing  them  for  such 
a  small  sum.  I  will '  be  glad  to  supply  the 
money."  She  had  her  i>ocket-book  out  in  an 
instant,  and  the  money  placed  in  his  hands  be- 
fore he  had  time  to  recover  from  his  surprise. 

^^  I  wish  it  might  take  place  before  I  go  home  ; 
I  should  like  so  much  to  aocompany  them  and 


see  their  enjoyment.  I  would  take  flowers  and 
confectionery,  and  I  am  sure  Lindsa}'  will  send 
me  a  box  from  home  —  they  would  enjoy  her 
good  things  so  much." 

"  We  will  go  whenever  it  is  convenient  for 
you.  I  will  tell  the  children  now  what  you  have 
done  for  them." 

He  touched  the  bell,  which  was  the  signal 
for  the  teachers  to  suspend  operations,  and  then 
acquainted  them  with  the  gift  they  had  just  re- 
ceived, and  the  way  it  was  to  be  expended.  A 
low  murmur  of  approval  broke  the  stillness,  with 
a  few  involuntary  ejaculations  that  sounded  very 
much  like  "  golly  "  to  Angela's  ears. 

Her  face  now  was  shining  —  the  sweetest  face 
he  had  ever  seen,  the  superintendent  decided,  as 
he  glanced  at  her. 

"  If  there  is  any  particular  day  you  would  like 
to  go  you  might  name  it  now." 

"  Any  time  before  the  first  of  June  will  suit 
me  —  that  will  be  too  early  for  them  to  take  their 
trip  to  the  seashore ;  perhaps  it  is  selfish  in  me 
to  want  to  have  it  so  soon." 

'•  Certainly  not ;  the  bit  of  travel  will  prepare 
them  for  the  heat  and  misery  of  the  summer." 

"  I  mn,y  be  able  to  get  some  of  my  fi'ien'ls  to 
go  with  me  and  heip  to  amuse  them." 


mmn 


rs  and 
I  send 
oy  her 

snt  for 
>u  have 

signal 
d  then 
ust  re- 
ed. A 
is,  with 
Bd  very 

!st  face 
ided,  as 

tild  like 

rill  suit 
ke  their 
L  in  me 

prepare 
aer." 
en'^.s  to 


IN  THE  BLUMS. 


176 


•'  Thfj  do  not  need  any  help  for  that.  Just 
to  be  let  loose  on  a  bit  of  sand  by  the  seashore 
where  they  can  make  pies  and  wade  in  the  water, 
is  all  they  want ;  you  would  think  they  had 
spent  their  lives  at  such  work  they  take  to  it  so 

naturally." 

"  I  am  very  glad  we  came  ;  perhaps  I  can  do 
a  little  more  for  your  mission.  Would  part-worn 
clothing  be  of  any  service?" 

"  It  certainly  would  be  of  great  help.  Noth- 
ing coi:?es  amiss  here." 

"  May  I  come  again  and  see  my  own  children? 
I  might  bring  tbam  something,"  she  hastened  to 
add,  as  if  by  so  doing  she  would  ensure  a  welcome. 
"You  will  not  wish  to  come  any  more  than  we 
shall  all  want  to  see  you ;  and  henceforth  you 
will  be  perfecdy  safe  coming  here  day  or  night ; 
the  people  will  be  true  to  you." 

.'Is  it  not  safe  now?"  M'"'.  Hunter  asked, 
with  some  anxiety. 

"  Not  particularly  so  after  night.  We  have  a 
rough  crowd  around  the  chapel.  It  is  no  use 
building  them  in  respectable  localities." 

"  We  had  better  leave  at  once  before  the  sun 
goes  iown,"  Miss  Hunter  said,  with  some  appre- 
hension  in  voice  and  face. 

Angela  cheerfuUy  responded;  and  then  they 


176 


IN  THE  SLT7MS. 


shook  hands  with  the  superintendent,  who  gave 
them  his  card,  when  they  found  his  name  was 
Rev.  Walter  Sargeant. 

Angela  could  hardly  wait  for  the  Sabbath  to 
be  gone  to  begin  her  work.  She  certainly 
thought  a  great  deal  about  what  she  would  prob- 
ably get,  even  if  she  did  not  begin  the  work  of 
collecting  the  garments.  At  least  one  dress 
apiece  was  a  very  moderate  estimate  from  each 
young  lady  when  they  had  been  wearing  out 
dresses  all  the  year,  and  the  most  of  them  had  so 
many  changes.  There  were  nearly  a  himdred 
young  ladies  in  the  institution,  hence  she  felt 
there  was  a  good  prospect  of  that  special  mission 
being  supplied  with  garments  for  this  season  at 
Ifcust.  After  school  the  following  day  she  began 
her  campaign,  and  succeeded  beyond  her  most 
sanguine  expectations.  Miss  Hunter  accompanied 
her  through  the  unsavory  streets  the  following 
Sunday  afternoon,  when  she  went  to  give  in  the 
report  of  her  successes. 

"  If  we  had  a  few  helpers  like  you  we  would 
be  a  self-supporting  mission  in  no  time,  and  could 
revolutioniae  matters  in  this  section  of  the  city," 
Mr.  Sargeant  said  admiringly.  "  I  wish  you 
could  ne  some  week  day  —  on  a  Saturday,  for 
instance  —  and  see  the  good  people  at  work  on 


IN  THE  SLUMS. 


177 


the  articles  you  contribute.  Kind  ladies  come 
here  two  afternoons  in  the  week  to  work  for  the 
children.  From  what  you  tell  me  they  will  have 
no  lack  of  materials  for  some  time  to  come." 

Angela  looked  eloquently  at  Miss  Hunter. 

"  If  I  got  a  cabman  to  bring  me  here  would 
you  allow  me  to  come  ?  "  she  asked  anxiously. 

"  I  do  not  think  we  could  permit  you  to  come 
here  alone,  under  any  circumstances,  but  I  will 
accompany  you." 

Angela  waited  until  they  were  alone  to  thank 

her  teacher. 

The  garments  were  made  up  into  bundles  and 
sent,  nothing  short  of  a  furniture  van  being  large 
enough,  Angela  assured  them,  to  convey  the  dry 
goods  to  their  destination.  She  and  Miss  Hun- 
ter  went  on  the  following  Saturday,  and  found  a 
party  of  ladies  busy  at  work,  some  of  them  ladies 
of  wealth,  who  had  been  connected  with  that 
mission  for  years,  but  not  one  of  them  had  con- 
tributed to  it,  outside  of  their  personal  services, 
anything  like  the  amount  that  Angela  had  done 
in  less  than  a  fortnight's  time.  She  had  a  genius 
for  giving  herself  to  others,  while  she  worked 
with  the  inspiration  that  only  love  can  give. 


:«.^.i,' 


p 


CHAPTER  XII. 


soft 
Motl 
mer  : 
as  tb 


BY  THE  8EA. 

The  day  appointed  for  their  excursion  to  the 
seashore  proved  to  be  rainy.     To  say  that  a  good 
many  were  disappointed   would  mildly  express 
the  grief  experienced  that  day  by  scores  of  the 
children,  but  probably  every   rainy  day  brings 
disappointment  to  some  one  or  other  up  and  down 
in  the  earth.     Of  course  the  picnic  had  to  be 
indefinitely  postponed,  since  one  is  never  sure 
when  the  weather  will  be  in  a  sunny  mood,     io 
add  to  Angela's  impatience,  there  was  a  good- 
sized  box  that  Lindsay  had  sent  for  the  children. 
The  fine  day,  however,  cam?  seasonably,  even 
for  the  delicacies,  and  the  start  vas  made  with 
great  rejoicing.      Several    of    Angela's    school- 
mates  accompanied  her,  and  of  course  Miss  Hun- 
ter  was  of  the  party,  for  she  was  gettmg  very 
much  interested  in  Angela's  benevolent  operations. 
Such  a  motley  crowd  as  was  assembled  that 
178 


seve 


mg 
clot 


^, 


^'>- 


BY  THE  BBA. 


.179 


rings 
down 
to  be 

sure 
,  To 
good- 
Ldren. 
,  even 
B  with 
ichool- 

Hun- 
j  very 
ations. 
d  that 


soft    May    morning    at    the    Central    Station. 
Mothers  and  children  were  both  there,  the  for- 
mer nearly  as  eager  for  the  day  by  the  seashore 
as  the  children.     The  fare  was  so  low  even  the 
poorest,  by  judicious  economy,  were  able  to  get 
their  ticket,  and  the  fact  that  they  were  to  have 
all  they  could  eat  free  of  charge  was  a  matter 
of  considerable  moment.      They  knew  it  would 
be  good  food,  and  to  have  as  much  of  that  as 
they  could  consume  in  one  day,  in  the  empty  state 
generally  of  their  inner  furnishings,  was  an  ex- 
perience not  too  frequent  in  their  lives ;  while  the 
ride  through  the  fresh  country  air,  and  the  sea 
breezes,  would  whet  their  appetites  so  that  they 
could  manage  to  pinch  along  on  very  little  for 
several  succeeding  'lays. 

Angela's  spirits  were  subdued  at  sigh'  of  the 
pale,  hungry  faces  of  her  fellow-travelers  and 
the  half-clad  bodies  of  young  and  old.  Not 
that  any  of  them  appeared  in  anything  approach- 
ing the  original  South  Sea  costume,  but  their 
clothing  for  a  gala  day  was  so  rent  and  patehed, 
it  was  painfully  suggestive  as  to  what  it  might 
be  on  average  occasions.  There  were  little  chil- 
dren in  abundance,  with  sharp  knees  and  elbows 
looking  boldly  out  of  unfortunate  holes,  their  toes 
and  heels  presenting,  in  many  caseo,  an  equally 


180 


QY  THE  SEA. 


%-v 


inquisitive  appearance.  They  certainly  did  not 
need  the  new  style  of  ventilating  shoes  for  health 
or  comfort  either.  Whatever  was  lacking  in  the 
garments  of  the  excursionists,  there  was  one 
thing  they  had  brought  with  them  in  great  abun- 
dance —  a  vast  capacity  for  receiving  whatever 
pleasure  might  fall  to  their  lot. 

Some  of  the  babies  were  crying ;  they  did  not 
fully  understand  what  was  going  on,  while  the 
unusual  tossing  they  had  received  that  morning 
jarred  painfully  on  their  tender  nerves.  The 
people  around  them  fortunately  were  not  such 
sybarites  as  to  be  affected  by  the  shrill  remon- 
strances of  a  company  of  infants ;  when  the  cars 
got  well  in  motion,  the  little  creatures  were  soon 
lulled  into  quiet,  nestling  contentedly  in  their 
mothers'  arms,  and  gazing  with  round,  serene 
eyes  at  their  unaccustomed  environments. 

The  end  of  their  journey  reached,  the  excor- 
sionists  found  themselves  on  a  beautiful  sandy 
beach  wliich  curved  around  in  a  semicircle  for 
three  or  four  miles,  inclosed  by  two  great  head- 
lands that,  on  their  further  sides,  were  skirted  by 
perpendicular  masses  of  rock,  towering  several 
hundred  feet  into  the  air.  The  beach  and  grasses 
of  the  land  back  from  the  shore  mingled  almost 
imperceptibly.     The   ground  for  some   distance 


:rt.-  i-l.'>  '.Ifl 


Ih'^f- 


JMrnSSSm 


\ 


•<r.~>.-,,,j     ■■-'^;>i'i^i.i-iw;i'ais<it..^a-A-L 


iiii"''n'"'r'i'nlrtii 


4,ybl 


BY  THE  8BA. 


181 


sloped  80  gradually  you  could  scarcely  noiice  any 
rise  above  the  sea  level  for  over  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  when  suddenly 'it  rose  in  mountainous  masses 
extending  in  a  circle  for  many  miles.  The  sun 
was  shining  brightly  across  the  waters,  making  a 
narrow  path  of  illumination  to  the  farther  shore. 
The  children,  as  they  caught  sight  of  its  splendor, 
stretched  out  eager  hands,  as  if  to  lay  hold  on 
the  sparkling  waves;  what  &  picture  it  was  to 
sink  into  their  young  hearts,  to  be  treasured  there 
lovingly  as  the  fairest  revelation  of  beauty's  own 
self,  until  perhaps  in  other  worlds  another  sea, 
and  brighter,  should  stretch  before  them. 

Angela  was  very  silent  that  day,  and  also  very 
observant.  It  was  enough  for  her  to  watch  the 
children  at  their  play  —  digging  in  the  sands, 
wading  in  the  cold  water,  or  picking  buttercups 
and  dandelions  in  the  pastures,  where  the  good- 
natured  villagers  permitted  them  to  range  at 
will.  Many  times  over  she  reckoned  up  the  out- 
lay and  receipts,  and  found  the  gain  so  large  her 
heart  was  grieved  that  more  money  was  not  put 
to  such  splendid  use. 

She  looked  at  her  own  becoming  garniture  of 
dress,  and  saw  so  much  unnecessary  expense  — 
one  garaient  alone  costing  more  than  this  whole 
day's  pleasuring  would  amount  to.     Her  face  was 


182 


BY  XHU  8BA. 


always  an  excellent  index  to  her  thonghts,  and 
a»  the  day  wore  on,  Miss  Hunter  saw  the  shadow 
resting  so  deeply  on  the  usually  sunny  face,  she 
f,».t  down  beside  her  on  the  smooth  rock  that  the 
high  tide  had  just  left  bare, 

"  You  are  not  enjoying  our  day's  merry-making, 
Angela;  I  can  see  that  plainly  in  your  face." 
'^  I  am,  and  I  am  not." 

"  That  is  an  equivocal  answer.  Tell  me,  first, 
why  you  are  not  enjoying  it." 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  how  the  children's  happi- 
ness moves  me.  I  can  hardly  keep  back  my 
tears  when  1  look  at  them,  while  I  cannot  help 
thinking  of  the  money  I  have  been  wastbg  on 
myself,  and  that  so  many  thousands  like  myself 
are  wasting  —  money  that  would  make  so  many 
children  happy." 

"I  do  not  think  you  can  accuse  yourself  of 

wastefulness." 

"  I  do  waste  it.  Only  a  few  days  ago  I  took 
a  frock  to  the  dressmaker  that  cost  me  a  lot  of 
money,  and  the  making  of  it  alone  will  cost  as 
much  as  this  whole  day's  pleasuring,  and  I  do  not 
need  the  thing  when  it  is  done."  She  regarded 
the  elegant  garment  now  only  with  disgust. 

"  My  dear  girl,  the  dressmakers  must  live  as 
well  as  the  manufacturers  and  all  other  artisans." 


BY  TUB  SKA. 


188 


"Certainly  they  must,  and  get  ricli  abo;  but 
I  have  made  up  my  mind  they  won't  thrive  bo 
well  because  of  me,  henceforth.  I  never  realized 
the  value  of  money  until  to-day." 

She  sighed  heavily.  The  world  looked  no  vast 
and  desohite,  and  its  millions  of  the  under 
stratum  so  forsaken,  while  she  was  weak  and  her 
possibilities  for  helping  them  out  of  their  degra- 
dation and  misery  limited. 

"  One  should  not  think  too  much  of  others ; 
we  have  our  own  life  to  live  and  make  rich  and 

glad." 

"  Miss  Hunter,  if  I  had  been  one  of  those 
wretched  children,  born  into  such  a  home  as  the 
worst  of  them  have,  would  I  not  be  thankful  if 
some  one  with  a  richer,  gladder  life  would  for- 
get  themselves  sometimes,  and  come  to  help  me  ? 
I  mean  to  do  to  them  as  I  would  like  to  be  dealt 
by  —  some  of  them  at  least.     I  shaU  not  return 
another  year  to  school ;  it  costs  a  great  deal  —  I 
see  that  now.     If  Donald  is  displeased,  and  does 
not  choose  me  for  his  friend,  well,  it  will  only  be 
one  more  sacrifice."     She  spoke  scarcely  above 
her  breath,  and  her  face  turned  pale ;  as  if  the 
very  thought  of  such  a  calamity  was  too  bitter  to 

think  of. 

"  But,  my  dear  chUd,  you  should  not  think  of 


m.\ 


X'  "t ' 


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\imim»k.  ^mitim'  '*  I 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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1.8 


1-25  1  1.4    |||.6 

■ 

6"     ■■ 

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Hiotographic 

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Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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0 


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Series. 


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I 


184 


BY  THE  SEA. 


leaving  school.     You  must  not  carry  self -sacrifice 
too  far." 

"  It  costs  too  much.  1  have  reckoned  up  my  ex- 
penses to-day.  Papa  told  me  once,  when  I  was  a 
very  little  girl,  that  I  must  always  be  gentlewoman 
enough  to  keep  accurate  accounts.  I  have  neg- 
lected to  take  his  advice,  but  to-day  I  found  that 
my  expenses  the  past  year  have  amounted  to 
something  like  six  hundred  dollars  ;  another  year 
I  might  spend  more :  one  never  can  tell  for  cer- 
tain what  they  will  do ;  at  least  I  cannot,  for  I 
am  very  impulsive." 

"You  should  finish  your  education,  at  what- 
ever cost,"  Miss  Hunter  urged.  " 

"  I  have  enough  now  to  do  me  ;  besides,  I  am 
not  clever,  and  never  shall  be,  no  matter  how  I 
may  try.  I  shall  read  more  and  study  less. 
The  Lord  Jesus  did  not  choose  his  friends  among 
the  learned  only.  I  want  to  be  the  friend  of 
God  ;  that  must  satisfy  me."  She  arose  abruptly. 
"  Let  us  never  talk  on  t'J"  subject  agam.  I  have 
fought  a  battle  to-day;  maybe  the  scars  will 
always  show  on  my  soul,  but  one  can  forget  scars, 
and  fresh  wounds,  too,  if  they  have  something 
else  to  think  of." 

"  You  are  mistaken,  Angela,  about  your  ability 
for  scholarship.     It  is  the  opinion  of  your  teachers 


BY  THE  BEA. 


186 


that,  as  your  mind  develops,  it  will  be  proved 
that  you  have  unusual  gifts  ;  some  minds  mature 
slowly,  and  yours  is  of  that  type,  we  believe." 

"  Please  do  not  let  us  talk  any  more.  I  woidd 
rather  think  that  God  had  not  furnished  me  very 
richly  with  gifts  save  those  of  wealth  and  help- 
fulness. I  am  glad  he  gave  me  these."  Her 
eyes  had  a  troubled  expression,  but  about  the 
sweet,  &ria  mouth  was  the  look  of  a  set  purpose. 

"  Shall  we  go  and  watch  the  children  at  their 
play  ?  I  saw  the  little  midgets  making  pies  and 
cakes  awhile  ago ;  it  made  me  laugh  and  cry  both, 
to  see  how  prodigal  they  were  of  plums.  They 
never  had  such  abundance  of  anything  before 
save  misery,  as  they  had  of  sand  and  stones  out 
of  which  to  compound  their  make  believes." 

"  You  must  not  take  things  so  much  to  heart ; 
you  will  be  worn  out  at  thirty,  if  life  is  so  intense 
with  you  at  seventeen." 

"  Hearts  are  made  of  tougher  stuff  than  to 
wear  out  at  sight  of  other  people's  misery." 

They  went-from  group  to  group  in  silence. 
Little  barefooted  things  were  wading  in  the  cold 
salt  water,  their  shoes  and  stockings  scattered 
aronnd  carelessly.  Of  course  there  was  scramb- 
ling, and  some  fighting  when  they  performed 
their  toilet  finally,  for  the  shoes  and  stockings 


ffl 


IT 


I 


I 


,^' 


186 


BY  THE  SEA. 


did  not  always  find  their  way  to  the  same  feet ; 
biit  the'  difference  in  value  was  so  slight  it  did 
not  much  matter  how  they  were  disposed  among 
the  youthful  owners.  ■;*-••.' 

What  she  saw  and  heard  that  day  haunted 
Angela  for  long  afterward,  but  her  resolution 
continued  fixed  in  the  matter  of  further  schooling 
for  herself.  Her  announcement  that  she  was  not 
coming  back  another  year  met  with  general  con- 
sternation, but  the  reason  she  honestly  gave  for 
this  determination,  although  far  from  satisfactory 
to  most  of  them,  was  generally  respected.  There 
was  something  so  genuine  about  her  convictions, 
and  the  way  she  expressed  them,  her  schoolmates 
could  not  help  acknowledging  that  she  had  some 
peculiarities  not  easy  to'  define,  but  which  in 
theory  were  very  beautiful,  although  not  conven- 
ient to  imitate.  Some  of  them  resolved  to  imi- 
tate to  some  extent  the  example  she  set,  hence, 
unknown  to  herself,  it  was  not  the  wretchedly 
poor  alone  that  she  helped,  but  others  who,  but 
for  her,  might  never  have  experienced  the  luxury 
of  being  taken  out  of  self,  and  taught  that  the 
crown  of  being  is  in  doing,  not  receiving  good. 


.»;V^-;< 


Angela  took  her  boy  and  girl  home  with 
her.  She  knew  that  Lindsay  would  be  so 
glad  to  see  her,  for  a  little  while  at  least,  she 
would  not  give  way  to  repi-oaches,  and  before  she 
reached  that  stage  Angela  trusted  that  by  a  ju- 
dicious explanation  of  the  case  she  could  make 
her  80  far  resigned  to  the  inevitable  as  to  treat 
the  children  civilly.  She  was  also  anxious  to  get 
them  away  from  the  dreadful  influences  sur- 
rounding them,  and  under  her  own  roof  where 
the  half-starved  creatures  might  improve  in  soul 
and  body.  The  ladies  at  the  mission  had  fitted 
them  up  quite  decently,  and  to  the  children  them- 
selves the  transformation  seemed  hardly  short  of 
miraculous,  although  every  garment  given  had 
served  some  other  human  being  before  it  came  to 
them,  and  in  the  matter  of  shoes  especially  were 
not  a  perfect  fit  since  these  were  a  size  or  two 

187 


r; 


wmmmmmm 


, ./ 


:t- 


tr 


188 


MARK  AND  LUCY. 


larger  than  the  feet  they  were  to  adorn,  but  this 
was  matter  of  perfect  indifference  to  the  wearers, 
since  to  have  shoes  of  any  size,  in  such  excellent 
preservation,  and  with  that  shining  coat  of  black- 
ing, was  a  new  experience. 

They  were  to  meet  her  at  the  station,  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  Sargeant,  who  would  commit  them 
to  her  care.  It  must  be  confessed  that  as  the 
hour  drew  near  Angela  dreaded  more  and  more 
the  re^jponsibility  she  had  assumed,  wishing  most 
heartily  that  she  could  feel  it  compatible  with 
duty  to  give  of  her  means,  without  having  actu- 
ally to  give  herself  to  the  work,  but  when  she 
saw  the  two  eager  faces  watching  for  her  that 
morning,  when  she  reached  the  station  accom- 
panied by  a  crowd  of  students,  it  seemed  for  the 
moment  really  a  joy  to  be  taking  the  poor  starved 
things  to  the  lap  of  plenty. 

"  They  will  bo  just  like  dolls  for  you,"  a 
Fchoolmate  whispered.  "I  almost  wish  I  was 
taking  a  couple  myself." 

Angela  crossed  over  to  where  they  were  stand- 
ing with  Mr.  Sargeant. 

"Are  you  glad  to  be  going  with  me?"  she 
asked,  after  she  had  spoken  with  their  companion. 
"  You  may  bet  your  boots  on  it,  that  we  are," 
the  boy  promptly  responded. 


\ 


SSSSEBBBS 


MARK  AND  LUCY. 


189 


"  Oh  I  does  he  talk  so  dreadfully  as  that  all  the 
time?"  she  asked  with  some  alarm. 

"  Ho  meant  no  harm  ;  it  is  the  style  he  is  ac- 
customed to,"  was  the  reply. 

"I'll  talk  any  way  you  want  me  to,  ma'am, 
if  you'll  jest  give  me  the  wink  how  it's  to  be 
done,"  the  boy  said  in  all  seriousness. 

"  Thank  you.  Now  I  do  not  know  what  name 
to  call  you  by." 

"  My  name  is  Mark,  and  hers  is  Lucy." 

''  Mark  and  Lucy  ;  I  think  I  shall  like  those 
names  very  well." 

"  Yes'm ;  they  do  grand  to  call  us  by.  You 
see  all  you've  got  to  do  if  you  want  either  of  us 
is  to  holler  Mark,  or  Lucy,  and  we'll  be  there 
afore  you'd  say  Jack  Robinson." 

"  That  will  be  very  convenient,"  Angela  said 
politely,  but  at  the  same  time  not  looking  spe- 
cially delighted  over  his  assurance  of  being 
always  on  hand. 

Mark  was  a  genuine  street  Arab,  and  an  adept 
in  the  training  of  the  streets.  He  could  read 
faces  well,  for  they  were  what  he  had  studied  best, 
and  he  saw  very  quickly  that  Angela  did  not  look 
as  happy  as  when  she  came  a  few  minutes  before. 
He  wondered  if  he  could  have  caused  it  by  his 
words  ;  if  so  he  resolved  to  learn  to  talk  like  her, 


<^ 


■I 


i>«f,. 


.  F  .'. 


190 


MARK   AND  LUCY. 


and  then  she  could  not  fail  to  be  satisfied  with 
his  mode  of  expressing  himself.  His  great  am- 
bition  now  was  to  please  her.  If  she  could  have 
looked  into  the  darkened  lieart  of  the  lad  she 
would  have  felt  less  troubled  ;  could  have  known 
the  eager  thoughts  and  hopes  that  were  ferment- 
ing there.  She  took  them  into  the  car.  The 
handsome  upholstery  and  easy-oliairs  were  an 
astonishment  to  him  ;  as  he  sank  into  a  luxurious 
seat  he  exclaimed  audibly,  "  Golly  I  ain't  this  a 
stunner  of  a  place  ?  "  and  then  recollecting  him- 
self subsided  directly  into  abashed  and  blushing 
silence. 

Angela  heard  the  words,  and  saw  also  the  look 
of  shame  that  spread  over  his  face,  and  because  of 
this,  felt  consoled.  Mark  kept  very  quiet,  only 
his  eyes,  by  their  restless  glances,  showing  how 
busy  and  alert  his  thoughts  were.  When  dinner 
time  came,  Angela  felt  so  sorry  for  the  poor 
hungry  things  who,  no  doubt,  had  breakfasted  on 
next  to  nothing,  that,  in  spite  of  her  anxiety  as  to 
their  table  deportii.''nt,  she  took  them  to  dinner. 
Mark  looked  around  upon  the  well-appointed 
table  in  a  bewildered  way.  How  he  was  to 
acquit  himself  creditably  among  those  implements 
for  getting  food  into  the  month  was  a  question 
that  puzzled  him  more  than  the  picking  up  of  the 


V  - 


MASK   AND  LUCY. 


191 


ied  with 
•eat  am- 
ild  have 
lad  she 
e  known 
ferment- 
ir.  The 
were  an 
uxurious 
I't  this  a 
ling  him- 
blushing 

the  look 
ecause  of 
aiet,  only 
ving  how 
en  dinner 
the  poor 
:f  aated  on 
cietyas  to 
to  dinner, 
appointed 
e  was  to 
(iplements 
El  question 
;  up  of  the 


scanty  bite  that  sufficed  to  keep  starvation  away 
from  him  and  Lucy.  It  was  so  long  since  he 
had  used  a  knife  and  fork,  at  least  any  knife 
save  his  jack-knife,  he  was  certain  he  could  not 
reflect  credit  on  his  new  friend  if  he  attempted 
to  use  them.  She  was  sitting  beside  him  serenely 
unconscious  of  the  perplexing  question  the  use  of 
those  common  adjuncts  to  the  dinner  table  were 
to  hiui,  when  a  gentle  whisper  drew  her  attention. 

"  Would  you  mind  telling  them  to  let  us  have 
some  spoon  vittels?  blest  if  I  hain't  forgot  how 
to  use  these  things,"  pointing  to  the  knife  and 
fork  at  his  side. 

When  the  waiter  brought  her  orders  for  the 
three  of  them  Angela  saw  Mark  cast  a  hungry 
glance  at  the  well-filled  dishes  —  a  genuine 
Thanksgiving  dinner  such  as  he  had  seen  pict- 
ured in  the  illustrated  papers.  "  Try  to  eat  with 
them;  you  can  watch  me,"  she  whispered  en- 
couragingly. 

Mark  was  veiy  hungry,  now  that  ho  smelt  the 
food  and  saw  it  so  provokingly  within  his  reach, 
and  the  temptation  was  too  strong  for  his  better 
judgment.  He  took  up  the  knife  and  fork  and 
began  operations,  eating  at  first  in  a  very  careful 
way,  his  eyes  divided  between  j^ngela'b  deft  use 
of  those  troublesome  instruments  and  the  clumsy 


192 


MARK  AND  LUCY. 


way  they  had  of  fllipping  out  of  his  fingers,  hnt 
aftei'  awhile  he  got  so  interested  in  his  dinner,  for 
it  tasted  so  very  good,  he  forgot  to  pay  attention 
to  anything  else  and,  before  he  knew  what  ho 
was  doing,  the  knife  and  fork  had  been  dropped, 
and  he  wan  enjoying  his  dinner  to  the  fullest  pos- 
sible extent. 

"  O,  Mark  1  what  are  you  doing  ?  "  Angela's 
voice  expressed  both  disgust  and  amazement. 

"  Blest  if  I  didn't  forget  all  about  them  things," 
he  said,  wiping  his  greasy  fingers  with  his  tongue, 
and  picking  up  the  discarded  implements. 

His  enjoyment  of  the  dinner  was  marred  for 
that  day,  after  he  had  stolen  a  hasty  glance  into 
Angela's  flushed  and  mortified  face,  for  other 
eyes  than  hers  had  noticed  the  way  Mark  dis- 
posed of  his  viands,  and  a  general  smile  was 
wreathing  the  lips  of  the  people  around  them. 

They  reached  the  Pines  late  in  the  evening. 
Wardell  had  come  to  the  train  to  meet  them. 
Mark's  eyes  shone  with  excitement  as  he  sat  on  the 
front  seat  and  saw  how  skillfully  the  driver  con- 
trolled the  shining  black  horses.  It  was  the  first 
really  comfortable  ride  he  had  ever  enjoyed,  such 
luxuries  hitherto  having  been  taken  on  the  sly, 
or  else  in  some  lumbering  van,  when  only  for  the 
name  of  it,  walking  would  have  been  preferable. 


MARK  AND  LUCY. 


198 


era,  but 
iner,  for 
attention 
what  ho 

leHt  pos- 

Angela's 
lent, 
things," 
a  tongue, 

8. 

irred  for 
iuce  into 
or  other 
lark  dis- 
mile  was 
them, 
evening, 
iet  them, 
sat  on  the 
riv^r  con- 
s  the  first 
»yed,  such 
n  the  sly, 
ly  for  the 
(referable. 


Mark  and  Lucy  seemed  like  children  in  a 
dream,  especially  when  morning  came.  The  re- 
freshing rest  of  the  night,  the  pretty  bedrooms 
and  clean  soft  beds,  the  like  of  which  their  wildest 
fancies  could  not  have  pictured,  and  then  to  add 
to  the  wonderland  of  surprises,  the  breakfast  — 
genuine  cream  on  their  oatmeal  and  in  their 
coffee,  with  toast  s&turated  with  butter  that  had 
not  the  slightest  tendency  to  make  the  tongue 
tingle,  such  as  their  limited  acquaintance  with 
butter  had  the  unfortunate  habit  of  doing,  and 
then  such  eggs,  with  a  flavor  that  was  astonish- 
ing. Indeed  Mark  remarked  sedately  that  he 
did  not  know  there  was  such  a  difference  in  eggs. 
Afterward,  when  he  saw  the  hens  who  had  man- 
ufactured those  extraordinary  delicacies,  and 
learned  that  a  fairly  industrious  individual  among 
them  could  produce  one  every  day,  with  now  and 
then  a  holiday  to  refresh  herself,  he  did  not  know 
whether  to  be  most  astonished  at  their  industry 
or  the  excellence  of  the  article  they  produced, 
and  settled  the  question  at  last  satisfactorily  to 
his  own  mind  by  concluding  that  these  hens  at 
the  Pines  were  a  particularly  honest  and  dainty 
set  of  fowls,  different  altogether  from  the  kind 
who  supplied  city  markets. 

They  went  with  Angela,  after  the  dew  was  dry 


104 


MARK   AND   LUCY. 


on  the  Bhrul)»  and  gnws,  to  the  pasturefi  and 
nuule  aoquaintuuoo  with  tho  cows  —  gentle,  affec- 
tionate creatures  who  stood  with  meek  satisfac- 
tion to  liave  their  heads  rubbed,  and  even  let 
Mark  take  a  strain  of  milk  from  them  —  tho  first 
time  in  his  life  that  he  rightly  understooil  where 
milk  came  from.      They  watched   the  well-fed, 
frolicsome  oalvos  —  fawn-like  young  creatures  who 
looked  as  curiously  at  the  boy  and  girl  as  the 
latter  did  at  them.     There  wore  horses  and  colts 
and  shaep,  and  all  tho  feathered  tribes  to  see, 
last  oi  nil  the  fruit  and  flowers.     Nothing  was  at 
its  perfection,  and  Mark  could  scarcely  be  made 
to  understand  that  apples  and  apricots,  pears  and 
plums  would  in  a  short  time  be  hanging  within 
his  reach  from  those  wooden  stems.     When  every 
thing  had  been  seen,  even  to  the  great,  dusky 
barns  where  the  animals  and  their  food  would  be 
stored  when  the  snows  lay  deep  on  the  land, 
Mark  asked  after  a  thoughtful  silence,  "  Would 
it  cost  you  a  groat  lot  of  money  to  keep  me  and 
Lucy  here  always  ?  " 

"  Would  you  like  to  stay  ?  "     ^  ■  ♦ 
♦'  In  course  we  would,  and  we'd  be  just  as  good 
as  wo  knew  how.     I'd  never  eat  with  my  fingers, 
nor  put  my  fork  in  my  motith  —  or  which  is  it  I 
mustn't  lick  ?    I  can't  seem  to  remember." 


\ 


MAUK   AMD   LUCY. 


195 


•»  Your  knifu  hIioiiM  never,  under  any  circuiu- 
Htunoi'H,  go  into  your  mouth." 

"  I  JJU08H  I  'II  riH!'l»'«!t  now ;  unU  if  you'll  let  uh 
stay,  I'll  tulk  the  best  I  know  how  ;  never  swear, 
or  Hay  golly,  but  just  talk  for  all  the  world  an 
you  do,  and  ho'U  Luoy."  ' '  -•  '' 

"  Will  you  go  to  school  and  study,  helping 
Mr.  Wardell  night  and  morning  ?  " 

"In  course ;  we'll  do  anything  you  want  us. 
Say,  does  it  cost  you  much  ?  We  won't  always 
expect  such  vittels  as  you  give  us  this  morning ; 
we  ain't  used  to  much  —  are  we,  Lucy  ?  I  could 
eat  a  lot  less  than  I've  done  since  I  come  here. 
We  never  et  as  much  in  the  same  time,  I  guess, 
only  the  day  of  the  picnic.  My  1  but  wasn't  that 
jolly ! " 

The  lad  could  never  mention  that  day  without 
giving  forcible  expression  to  his  feeling  Angela 
was  silently  wiping  her  eyes.  Mark's  appeal  had 
touched  her  heart. 

"Well,  there,  we  won't  say  any  more  about  it, 
and  please  don't  cry.  I'm  sorry  I  was  so  greedy ; 
and  it's  awful  good  of  you  to  let  us  nicke  you 
a  visit.  When  I  m  a  man  and  rich  I'll  have  a 
big  house  and  a  horse,  and  I'll  ask  you  to  come 
and  see  me." 

**Mark  dear,  I  am  going  to  keep  you  here 


im 


MAUK   AND  LUCY. 


until  you  are  a  man,  and  I  sliall  educate  you, 
too."   ■ 

The  first  thing  Angela  knew  Mark  was  walk- 
ing beside  her,  head  downwards,  and  using  his 
hands  as  a  means  of  locomotion.  He  righted 
himself  presently,  looking  very  flushed  and  con- 
siderably ashamed. 

"  I  jest  forgot ;  I  was  so  glad  I  had  to  do 
something.  You  won't  be  mad  with  me,  will 
you?" 

"Certainly  not;  the  very  best  boys  do  that 
sometimes." 

Aneela  remembered  what  skill  Donald  had  in 
such  gymnastics,  and  anything  he  did  any  lad 
might  safely  imitate. 

"  I  never  know'd  folks  could  be  as  happy  as 
me  and  Lucy  is  this  morning.  Say,  couldn't  I 
go  to  work  now  ?  I've  always  been  used  to  fur- 
raging  up  our  dinners  before  we  et  it,  besides 
I'd  like  to  pay  you  back  when  you're  so  good 
to  us." 

"  You  can  come  upstairs  to  my  schoolroom, 
and  I  will  give  you  a  lesson.  You  must  study 
every  day,  and  after  holidays  you  shall  go  to 
school." 

"  That  won't  be  helping  you  any." 

"  Yes,  it  will ;  I  want  you  to  become  a  noble 


m. 


MARK  AND   LUCY 


man.     To  accompliah  this  you  must  work  Very 
hard." 

"  I'll  do  what  I  can."      -,  v  ,    > 

Angela,  before  many  days,  was  astonished  at 
the  way  he  dropped  his  uncouth  forms  of  expres- 
sion. She  would  have  been  still  more  surprised 
had  she  known  the  strict  watch  he  kept  over  his 
speech.  As  for  Lucy,  she  scarcely  spoke  at  all 
except  to  answer  a  question ;  but  when  she  and 
her  brother  were  alone  her  tongue  was  as  limber 
as  his. 

They  followed  Angela  upstairs  that  morning 
somewhat  regretfully ;  there  was  so  much  to  see 
outdoors,  such  wonders  of  beauty  in  animal  and 
vegetable  form  which  they  wanted  to  get  better 
acquainted  with,  they  found  it  hard  to  leave,  but 
if  Miss  Angela  was  anxious  to  have  them  in  the 
house,  why,  in  the  house  they  would  cheerfully  go. 
As  the  exanjination  into  their  stores  of  knowl- 
edge proceeded,  Angela  found  that  Mark   had 
some  slight  knowledge  of  letters,  although  he  did 
not  know  all  the  alphabet ;  but  he  could  tell  on 
the  instant  the  names  of  any  of  the  newspapers 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  selling.     Their  editors-in- 
chief  could  not  read  off  the  names  of  their  re- 
spective newspapers  more  readily  than  he.     He 
could  reckon  money  or  count  marbles  as  qui^^jkly 


pppjr 


f0i 


MARK  AND  LUCY. 


as  any  lad  among  hia  associates,  but  when  3.it 
down  to  a  sum  in  addition  it  was  a  profound 
mystery  to  him.  Lucy  was  even  farther  behind 
with  her  studies.  Angela  kept  them  ^r  an 
hour,  and  then  gave  each  of  them  a  short  lesson 
to  study  for  the  afternoon's  ^citation.  She 
allowed  them  to  take  their  books  out  in  the  gar- 
dens. Mark  came  in  with  his  perfectly  learaed, 
but  Lucy  was  duller,  and  the  attraction  of  the 
new  world  about  them  was  so  strong,  making  her 
forget  lessons  and  everything  as  she  strayed 
through  the  meadows  and  gardens. 

As  the  summer  wore  on  she  took  more  interest 
in  her  lessons,  and  when  the  school  opened,  after 
holidays,  they  were  able  to  present  themselves 
much  more  respectably  than  might  have  been 
expected.  Mark  could  read  quite  easily  in  the 
Testament,  he  had  mastered  the  multiplication 
table,  and  knew  enough  of  the  geography  of  his 
own  whereabouts  to  pass  muster  decently  in  that 
branch  of  knowledge.  But  in  those  other  sci- 
ences dear  to  a  boy's  heart  he  had  made  aston- 
ishing progress.  He  could  drive  the  working 
teams  of  horses  nearly  as  well  as  Wardell,  build 
a  load  of  hay  on  the  most  approved  principles  as 
taught  by  the  haymakers,  rake  and  toss  the  hay 
and  work  with  the  golden  grain  as  well  as  any 


\ 


MABK  AND  LUCY. 


199 


rlien  3.it 

)rofound 

behind 

ffiT  an 

rt  lesson 

Q.      She 

the  gar- 

learaed, 

n  of  the 

iking  her 

strayed 

B  interest 
led,  after 
lemselves 
ave  been 
ily  in  the 
iplication 
(hy  of  his 
ly  in  that 
other  sci- 
ide  aston- 
5  working 
iell,  build 
inciples  as 
s  the  hay 
ill  as  any 


country  boy  to  the  manner  born ;  he  could  climb 
the  trees  almost  as  quickly  as  the  squirrels,  pick 
strawberries,  milk  the  cows,  and  discover  the 
whereabouts  of  the  nests  some  of  the  more  secre- 
tive hens  had  stolen  in  the  dusky  barns,  better 
than  the  housemaid  herself. 

Lindsay  was  superintending  Lucy's  practical 
education,  and,  strange  to  say,  indulged  in  very 
few  complaints  against  the  child.  She  and  Mark 
were  as  opposite  in  disposition  as  if  they  had 
been  children  of  different  nationalities  instead  of 
the  same  parents.  He  was  open-hearted,  impetu- 
ous, quick  to  commit  a  fault,  and  equally  ready 
to  acknowledge  and  bewail  it,  and  as  generous  as 
Angela  herself ;  Lucy  never  revealed  the  posses- 
sion of  a  heart.  She  was  prim  in  her  ways,  and 
went  about  in  such  an  humble,  dreamy  fashion  one 
sometimes  wondered  if  she  were  a  child  at  all. 
Angela  cared  very  little  for  Lucy,  but  her  ways 
suited  Lindsay,  since  she  found  her  easy  to  mould 
into  a  desired  pattern. 

At  school  Mark  took  readily  to  his  books,  and 
was  able  to  make  his  way  either  with  fist  or 
brain,  with  the  best  of  them.  Some  of  his  school 
fellows  made  sport  of  him,  for  his  peculiarities  of 
speech  stiU  clung  to  him,  and  village  gossip  had 
become  possessed  of  the  fact  that  Angela  Mar- 


\ 


a 


200 


MABK  AND  LUCY. 


'li 


lowe's  prot^g^s  were  the  refuse  of  the  street ; 
owned  by  no  one,  and  created,  it  was  supposed, 
something  after  the  manner  that  Topsy  declared 
she  had  her  beginnings.  The  respectable  people 
of  Longhurst  resented  having  such  waifs  and 
strays  foisted  upon  their  children  as  daily  asso- 
ciates. Mark  was  too  manly  to  trouble  Angela 
with  the  unpleasantnesses  he  met  with,  but  he 
sometimes  found  it  difficult  to  keep  within  the 
bounds  oi  truth  and  satisfactorily  explain  the 
contusions  and  discolorations  that  frequently  dis- 
figured his  face.  When,  however,  she  did  at  last 
discover  their  cause,  she  was  considerably  dis- 
tressed. She  received  a  highly  colored  version  of 
it,  and  not  at  all  in  Mark's  favor. 

She  had  been  making  a  round  of  calls  in  Long- 
hurst, and  at  several  houses  complaints  had  been 
made  of  the  vigorous  and  skillful  way  her  boy 
could  use  his  hands.  Some  of  those  elect  ladies 
expressed  themselves  forcibly  on  the  risk  she  ran 
in  introducing  such  characters  into  the  place. 
Lawyer  Moxton's  wife  even  went  so  far  as  to 
hint  that  she  laid  herself  open  to  possible  legal 
complications  in  the  matter.  Her  own  first-born 
was  at  the  time  suffering  from  the  effects  of  a 
judicious  and  well-applied  whipping  administered 
by  Mark ;  a  form  of  dbcipline  he  had  suffered  a 


{ 


e  street ; 
supposed, 
declared 
)le  people 
iraifs  and 
aily  asso- 
e  Angela 
1,  but  he 
nthin  the 
plain  the 
lently  dis- 
lid  at  last 
rably  dis- 
persion of 

)  in  Long- 
had  been 
f  her  boy 
iect  ladies 
jk  she  ran 
the  place, 
far  as  to 
sible  legal 
first-born 
EEects  of  a 
ministered 
suffered  a 


MARK  AND  LUCY. 


lack  of  under  the  parental  roof.  Angela  was 
grieved,  but  she  was  naturally  too  just  to  con- 
demn the  boy  unheard.  .  .■  -^ 

"  I  will  find  out,  by  some  means,  the  rights  of 
the  case,  and  if  Mark  is  to  blame  I  will  remove 
him  from  the  school ;  if  not,  he  shall  have  the 
privilege  of  the  best  teachers  in  town,  no  matter 
who  objects."        - 

She  spoke  with  determination,  for  her  temper 
was  roused  against  the  pride  and  selfishness  of 
these  mothers  whose  charities  extended  no  further 
than  their  own  firesides.  Mrs.  Moxton  at  once 
changed  the  conversation.  She  was  loath  to 
forfeit  Angela's  friendship — an  unwillingness 
that  she  shared  in  common  with  her  townswomen. 

When  she  reached  home  Angela  called  Mark 
to  the  schoolroom,  determined  to  find  out  the 
truth  of  the  matter.  He  looked  troubled  when 
she  told  him  what  she  had  heard,  and  demanded 
an  explanation  of  his  conduct. 

*'  I  want  you  to  tell  me  nothing  but  the  truth  ; 
try  to  fancy  that  you  are  describing  it  as  if  you 
were  a  mere  spectator,  and  not  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal actors  in  the  mutter,"  she  said  to  him  very 
seriously  in  closing. 

He  sat  for  some  time,  apparently  very  busy 
thinking.    At  last  he   asked,  "If  you  find  I 


\ 


>• 


202 


MARK  AND  LUCY. 


i 
ill 


have  been  a  very  wicked  boy,  will  you  send  .ue 
and  Lucy  away?"       '''-  '-'  ■''■>    ^•!-  ^■«?*, -■' >.^;•^^..:: 
"  No,  I  shall  not  do  that ;  bnt  I  won't  love 

you." 

"  Do  you  love  me  now?  "  the  boy  asked  eagerly, 
his  eyes  kindling,  and  his  face  all  alight  with 
expectation.  ,.^>''^ '->  ^^ 

"  Why,  yes,  Mark,  1  have  got  to  love  yon  very 
dearly,"  replied  Angela.  "  I  believe  in  my  heart 
I  sometimes  call  you  my  little  brother." 

In  an  instant  his  arms  wei>e  around  her  neck, 
his  face  buried  in  her  bosom,  and  his  whole  frame 
convulsed  with  emotion.  It  was  the  first  time  he 
had  ever  made  any  specially  affectionate  demon- 
stration, and  Angela  had  never  dreamed  of  the 
passionate  devotion  that  dwelt  in  his  boyish  heart. 
She  clasped  her  arms  about  him  and  kissed  the 
quivering  lips. 

"  Now  tell  me  all  about  it,  dear ;  just  as  if  I 
were  your  own  mother." 

"I  did  not  mean  to  fight,  or  do  anything  I 
wouldn't  be  willing  you  should  know ;  but  they 
made  me  so  angry ;  they  called  me  names  —  beg- 
gar, wharf  rat,  and  other  things  I  wouldn't  speak 
of  to  you.  And  they  always  struck  me  first. 
But  I  won't  fight  any  more  if  you  say  so." 

"  I  would  rather,  dear  Mark,  that  you  would 


MAKK  AND  LUCY. 


208 


send  .-ne 

ron't  love 

id  eagerly, 
ight  with 

i  you  very 
I  my  heart 

her  neck, 
hole  frame 
rst  time  he 
ite  demon- 
aed  of  the 
>yiah  heart. 

kissed  the 

ust  as  if  I 

anything  I 
;  but  they 
nies  —  beg- 
ddn't  speak 
ik  me  first, 
rso." 
1  you  would 


be  patient  with  them,  for  the  sake  of  our  Lord 
Jesus,  than  for  my  sake.  I  could  not  be  there 
to  help  you  when  they  were  most  provoking,  but 
he  is  always  near  you ;  always  able  and  willing 
to  help  you." 

"  I  never  seem  to  feel  Him  near,"  Murk  said 
doubtfully. 

"Perhaps  you  do  not  ask  Him  to  be  near  you." 

"  I  can  say  every  word  of  the  prayers  you  had 
me  learn  when  I  came  here,  and  I  always  say 
them  night  and  morning  —  only  when  I  forget," 
he  added  honestly. 

"  I  want  you  now  to  make  your  own  prayers ; 
just  tell  the  Lord  all  about  your  diflBculties,  and 
how  hard  it  is  to  be  patient,  and  ask  him  to  give 
you  strength  to  do  what  is  right." 

"  Do  you  pray  that  way  to  God  every  day  ?  " 

"  Yes,  dear ;  and  some  days  many  times." 

"  That  is  the  reason  you  are  so  difEerent  from 
everybody  else.  Do  you  suppose  it  would  make 
me  like  you  if  I  prayed  that  way  ?  "' 

"  It  would  make  you  like  Christ,  and  that 
would  be  far  better." 

•'  I  wouldn't  ask  for  anything  better  than  to 
be  like  you." 

"  You  will  try  now  to  be  patient  and  not  to 
fight  any  more  ?  " 


•»! 


^gg^gtg 


lA^h 


M«iM 


204 


MARK  ANU  LUCY. 


"  I  will  never  strike  another  blow  on  anyl)o<ly. 
I  will  show  them  in  another  way  that  I  am  not 
a  wharf  rat." 

Mark  spoke  with  quiet  determination,  but  with- 
out any  trace  of  boastf  ulnesa. 

"  I  will  tell  you  now,  Mark,  what  I  did  not 
mean  you  should  know  for  some  years,  but  the 
knowledge  of  it  may  be  the  means  of  stimulating 
you  to  more  earnest  effort.  If  you  prove  to  us 
that  you  possess  the  material  of  a  gonl  student, 
I  am  going  to  give  you  as  good  an  education  as 
any  boy  can  have.  If  you  do  your  share  I  will 
do  mine." 

"  O,  Miss  Angela  1  what  makes  you  do  that  ?  " 
His  face  was  quivering  with  emotion,  and  his 
voice  was  unsteady. 

«'  Well,  one  reason  is  because  I  like  you,  and 
I  want  to  see  you  become  a  noble,  helptul  man  ; 
the  good  you  may  do  will  seem  as  if  I  too  hatl  a 
share  in  it  —  as  if  we  were  pai  tners.  I  want  to 
do  all  the  good  I  can  in  my  brief  passage  through 
this  world ;  be  a  worker  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  as 
well  as  trying  to  be  like  him." 

"  I  am  glad  you  talked  to  me  to-day.  I  will  be 
stronger  after  this." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that,  Mark  ?  " 

"  I  won't  fight  so  easy,  or  swear  at  them  —  I 


la   * 
1*V 


■HMm 


MARK   AND  LUCY. 


205 


1  anybfnly. 
I  am  uot 

1,  but  with- 

I  did  not 
fs,  but  the 
itimulating 
rove  to  us 
)(1  student, 
lucation  as 
hare  I  will 

do  that?" 
n,  and  his 

[e  you,  and 
Ipiul  man ; 
I  too  had  a 
I  want  to 
ige  through 
rd  Jesus,  as 

r.    I  will  be 

rk?" 

,t  them  —  I 


nsed  to  swear  when  they  made  me  very  mad,"  ho 
said,  looking  into  her  face  with  a  brave  light  in 
his  eyes,  as  if  he  was  determined  to  make  full 
confeHHion. 

"  And  all  the  time  I  was  l'>''rning  to  love  you 
so  well.  O,  Mark  I  how  haru  it  is  for  us  to  be 
good  in  this  world.  You  must  not  think  because 
you  feel  happy  with  me  here,  that  the  victory  is 
won.  Our  life  through  is  one  continued  warfare, 
I  believe." 

"  Won't  it  be  natural  for  me  to  be  good  when 
I  am  a  man  —  come  as  easy  as  doing  the  other 
way  now  ?  " 

"  Very  strong  Christians  may  find  it  so,  but  I 
think  the  very  best  have  to  fight  the  evil ;  even 
Christ  had  the  temptation  of  Satan  after  he  pro- 
claimed himself  God." 

Mark  looked  puzzled,  and  somewhat  discour- 
aged. It  seemed  such  a  long,  long  time  until  he 
was  an  old  man,  when  life's  temptations  would 
be  laid  down  along  with  all  its  other  belongings. 

Angela  felt  convinced  that  her  conversation 
that  day  would  bear  fruit  in  his  life,  he  seemed 
BO  impressed  and  also  anxious  to  do  what  was 
right. 


3 '    .'■ 


I'J 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

BE80UKD   FROM   TIIK   BLUMS. 

Anotiikr  year  slipped  quickly  away.     Mark 
had  his  trials  at  school,  but  no  further  compla.nts 
were  received  either  from  him  or  his  schooUd- 
lows      Whatever  the  provocation,  he  never  broke 
hi«  promise,  either  about  fighting  or  swearmg, 
and  this  for  a  street  Arab  was  certamly  remark- 
able.    He  liked  to  como  home  from  school  at 
„;,ht  and   look  Angela  honestly  in   the   faee 
knowing  that  his  promise  had  been  kept.     A^er 
awhile  he  found  it  less  difficult  to  keep    that 
promise  ;  even  the  most  disagreeable  people  find 
[t  tiresome  to  quarrel  alone,  and  the  stmmlus  of 
calling  names,  and  using  abusive  ^^-S^^^'J^^' 
erally  beconves  monotonous  when  received  silently. 
Angela  was  becoming  so  interested  in  Marks 
welfare  that  she  was   forgetting  the    scores  of 
waifs  left  at  the  Markam  Street  Mission  many 
of  them  in  just  as  miserable  condition  as  his  had 


\ 


REBCUKU   FIIOM  THE   8LUMU. 


207 


ly.     Mark 
Boinplaints 
\  schooUel- 
lever  broke 
•  swearing, 
ily  remark- 
i  school  at 
,    the   face, 
jpt.     After 
keep   that 
people  find 
stimulus  of 
iguage  gen- 
ved  silently. 
I  in  Mark's 
le    scores  of 
ission,  many 
n  as  his  had 


been.  As  the  spring  days  wore  into  snmiinor, 
she  was  often  reminded  of  the  wilted  ehildreii- 
drooping  amid  the  fetid  atmosphere  of  the 
crowded  courts,  where  children  seemed  to  swarm 
most  abundantly.  Mark  used  to  talk  of  his  old 
companions,  speculating  on  the  way  tliey  were 
getting  on,  and  wondering  what  they  would  say 
if  they  could  see  how  he  and  Lucy  had  grown. 
Often  he  would  express  the  wish  that  they  could 
be  at  tlie  Pines  for  awhile,  too,  in  order  that  they 
might  undergo  a  similar  transformation. 

"  You  see  there  is  so  much  room  here,  and 
such  quantities  of  everything,"  he  would  suy 
apologetically. 

"But  it  is  so  far  to  bring  them,"  Angela  re- 
sponded one  day  to  his  oft-repeated  remark. 

"They  could  come  for  nothing,  maybe.  I 
guess  the  cars  don't  charge  for  the  Fresh  Air 
children." 

"  We  will  think  about  it.  If  I  should  go  for 
some,  how  many  would  you  like  me  to  bring 
home?" 

"All  that  you  could  afford  to  have.  You 
can't  imagine  what  a  change  it  would  be  fpv 
them,  and  how  they  will  think  of  it  all  the  rest 
of  the  year.     I  know  how  it  was  with  the  picnic." 

When  they  came  to  talk  the  matter  over  in  the 


\ 


\ 


/ 


IS- 


'  1 


20H  ItEHCUKD    FItOM   TUB  HLUM8. 

fa^tily,  it  wan  found  thiit  Ltioy  wrh  nn  ntrongly 
i>p|)4)H«><l  t«)  Hiich  nil  invuHion  (if  yoiin^  folk  uh 
MiirkwiiH  in  favor  of  it ;  a  Uwt  timt  ilid  not  rnmi 
hot  ill  Anffcla'H  cMtiiniition.  Th»  niont  hIio 
tlion;{;lit  tho  iiuitt<>i'  over  tliu  more  oonvin(!«'tl  wiim 
hIiu  that  it  wan.  hur  duty  to  follow  Murk'H 
Hu^^fftmtion. 

Donald  waH  oxpocted  lionm  uhortly  —  tho  flrHt 
viHit  ho  liad  niado  Imh  parontH  in  throe  yuai'H,  and 
An^i'la  naturally  wiih  aiixiouH  to  1h;  at  homo  whon 
hu  oainu.  Ho  wiih  to  graduato  at  tho  oiul  of  that 
Hchool  yoar,  and  at  tho  oiid  of  a  briof  holiday  ho 
waH  going  on  an  oxtondod  tour  with  tho  Haine 
toaohor  ho  had  goiio  with  tho  jirocoding  yoarH. 
Liiidnay  Highod  liigubriouHly  whon  Angola  an- 
noiiiuiod  her  orrand  to  the  city,  but  hIio  had  too 
loyal  iiloas  of  tho  riglitH  of  a  nuHtroHs  to  roinon- 
Htrato  with  lior  on  hor  orratio  conrHo.  Angola 
waH  a  full-grown  young  lady  now,  and  nhould  in- 
Hint  on  her  rights  as  tho  iniHtroHH  of  suoh  a  hand- 
Bomo  ostablishment,  but  nho  was  so  provokingly 
indifferent  about  those  rights  Lindsay  used  to  got 
sadly  out  of  patience  with  hor. 

Angela  concluded  it  was  time  those  children 
had  another  voyage  to  the  seaside,  so  she  pro- 
vidi'd  herself  with  a  generous  supply  of  money, 
in  order  to  do  all  that  might  bo  in  her  heart. 


I 


\ 


UKH(;UKI)   PKOM   TIIK   HI.I'MM. 


21)1) 


H    HtlOllgly 

1^  folk  UH 
(1  not  raim) 
iiioru  hIiu 
vin(!«'«l  wuH 
)w    Mark's 

—  th«  ftrHt 
I  yoai-H,  and 
homo  when 
i'lul  of  that 
holiday  ho 
h  tho  Haine 
idinj;  ycarH. 
Aiig«!la  un- 
hIic  had  too 
HH  to  reinou- 
•Ho.     Angola 
nl  whould  in- 
such  a  hand- 
pro  vo  kingly 
y  used  to  get 

lose  children 
,  so  she  i)r<v 
ly  of  money, 
lier  heart. 


Mr.  Sftrpfount  WM  ovflrjoyod  to  *m  her.  II« 
entered  heartily  into  Iter  plauH,  nntl  Angela  l>u> 
gun  to  look  upon  hint  uh  a  moHt  delightful  fulluw 
worker. 

They  had  their  excursion  to  the  Hmall  seanidu 
village.  The  ehihiren  wore  permitted  t«)  make 
ohoieo  of  several  different  ])laoeH,  hut  without  a 
dissenting  voieu  they  chose  the  one  they  had 
visited  hefore.  They  knew  how  oharniing  that 
spot  was,  and  ccndd  not  think  the  broad  earth 
contained  a  hotter. 

To  some  of  them  Angela,  with  her  pure,  high- 
bretl  face  and  dainty  costume,  Heenu<l  like  the 
angels  they  sang  about.  The  girls  began  to 
think  it  would  well  repay  them  the  pain  of  dying 
if  the  passage  through  the  mysterious  valley 
would  transform  them  into  such  gracious  and 
beautiful  visions  of  womanhood.  To  Imvo  her 
address  them  was  itself  an  inspiration,  for  she 
talked  ho  gently,  with  such  t«3nderness  too  in  face 
and  voice,  which  was  a  new  experience  to  them  in 
their  intercourse  with  those  al>ove  them. 

In  some  dim  way  it  brought  to  mind  the  story 
of  the  Good  Shepherd  who  used  to  walk  among 
poor,  sinful  men  and  women,  making  Himself 
one  with  the  penniless  and  sorrowful.  Other 
ladies  would  talk  to  them  in  a  patronizing,  and 


11 


210 


RESCUED   FIIOM  THE  SLUMS. 


also  reproiichful  maimer,  sa  if  for  some  unex- 
plained re:i  on  they  were  themselves  to  blame  for 
their  unhappy  condition.  Very  otten  it  was  more 
of  a  trial  than  comfort,  coming  in  contact  with 
these  benevolent  sisters  who  worked  for  them 
mainly  from  a  sense  of  duty. 

The  picnic  passed  off  successfully,  and  Angela 
kept  herself  on  the  alert  to  make  the  choice  of 
children  to  take  back  for  a  visit  to  the  Pines  — 
a  task  she  found  difficult  to  accomplish,  there 
were  so  many  hungry  faces  and  half-clad  bodies 
through  which  grim  want  peeped  at  her,  that  to 
decide  which  six  appealed  most  strongly  for  help 
was  an  impossibility. 

She  conmled  her  perplexity  to  Mr.  Sargeant. 
He  looked  surprised  -lion  she  told  him  what  she 
wanted,  and  confidetl  iiow  hard  she  found  it  to 
choose  when  the  choice  was  so  extensive. 

"  You  want  the  most  desperate  cases,"  he  said 
thoughtfully.  "  If  I  were  to  describe  the  con- 
dition of  some  scores  of  children  who  attend  our 
services,  you  would  find  it  still  harder  to  decide 
which  was  worst,  but  I  think  we  can  get  a  half- 
dozen  cases  a  little  more  desperate  than  the  rest." 

An  hour  or  two  later  he  drew  her  to  one  side 
and  explained  that  he  had  made  the  selection, 
subject,  of  course,  to  her  approval.  ;. 


{ 


Isome  iinex- 
lo  blame  for 
I  it  was  more 
3ontact  with 
i   for   them 

and  Angela 
le  ehoice  of 
;he  Pines  — 
iplisli,  there 
E-clad  bodies 

her,  that  to 
ngly  for  help 

[r.  Sargeant. 
him  what  she 
3  found  it  to 
isive. 

ases,"  he  said 
iribe  the  con- 
ho  attend  our 
•der  to  decide 
,n  get  a  half- 
bhan  the  rest." 
er  to  one  side 
the  selection, 


RESCUED  FnOM  THE  SLUMS. 


211 


"They  are'  a  melanch«»ly-looking  Jot,  but  the 
wonder  is  that  their  heads  are  above  ground  at 
all ;  they  must  have  come  from  a  tough-fibered 
race,  or  the  hunger  and  ill-usage  they  have  en- 
dured would  have  finished  them  long  ago." 

"  Are  they  all  of  one  family  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed  ;  the  trouble  in  some  cases  would 
be  to  find  any  family  connection  for  them.  Two 
of  them  are  kept  by  an  old  man  ;  they  live  in  a 
single  room,  on  the  top  floor  of  a  six-storied  tene- 
ment. They  call  him  uncle,  but  it  is  doubtful 
what  relation  they  bear  to  him.  They  may  pos- 
sibly be  his  own  children  ;  one  never  can  tell 
about  these  wretched  creatures.  He  is  an.iious 
to  get  rid  of  them,  and  treats  them  at  times  very 
cruelly.  Another,  a  girl  of  ten,  lives  with  an  old 
hag  in  a  cellar.  She,  too,  is  cruel  to  the  child. 
We  sometimes  see  marks  of  brutal  treatment  on 
her  gaunt  body.  She  does  not  look  to  be  more 
than  six  years  old,  and  is  nothing  but  skin  and 
bones  —  and  no  wonder ;  she  is  always  half- 
starved.  If  you  could  get  a  home  for  her  some- 
where in  the  country,  it  would  be  a  mercy  —  or 
indeed  for  any  one  of  them.  Two  of  the  others 
are  slightly  better  oflF.  They  live  with  their 
father,  who  is  an  easy-going,  good-natured  creat- 
ure, but  too  idle  and  shiftless  to  earn  more  than 


BKSCUED  PROM  THE  SLUMS. 


I 


the  rent  of  the  single  room  they  occupy,  and  t!ie 
merest  bite  of  food,  beside  his  own  drink  —  for 
that  he  will  have.     They  are  what  is  called  profes- 
sional beggars.     Another  lives  with  her  mother, 
a  decent  woman  who  does  slop  sewing,  as  it  is 
called.     She  is  a  consumptive,  but  with  a  little 
help  manages  to  keep  soul  and  body  together, 
after  a  fashion.     I  brought  a  seventh,  thinking 
you  might  want  to  take  some  one  in  the  place  of 
little  Annie  Murphy  —  she  is  such  a  desperate- 
looking  child.     The  last  one  is  a  lad  of  more  - 
than  average  ability.     He  will  ue  one  thing  or 
another  to  a  marked  degree ;  not  a  milk  sop,  I 
assure  you.      If   he  could  be  surrounded  .with 
right  influences  I  believe  he  might  make  a  noble 
man ;  if  not  he  will  join  the  ranks  of  our  dan- 
gerous classes." 

"I    think    you  have  made  a  very  judicious 
selection." 

"  You  may  not  think  so  when  you  see  them ; 
but  if  they  are  too' hard  a  crowd  you  can  choose 
others.  I  merely  told  them  to  come  here,  but 
did  not  explain  for  what  purpose  I  wanted  them." 
They  had  only  a  few  steps  further  to  go  when 
the  list  was  concluded,  or  rather  the  description 
of  them,  and  Angela  stood  face  to  face  with  the 
crowd  who  were  to  be  her  guests  for  a  couple  of 


BESCUEB  FROM  THE  SLUMS. 


and  tlie 
ik  —  for 
)d  prof  es- 
mother, 
as  it  is 
a  little 
together, 
thinking 
place  of 
esperate- 
of  more 
thing  or 
ilk  sop,  I 
ided  yrith 
le  a  noble 
our  dan- 
judicious 

see  them ; 
;an  choose 
here,  but 
bed  them." 
>  go  when 
lescription 
e  with  the 
t  couple  of 


months  at  least.  She  had  hastily  decided  when 
she  took  in  the  sorry-looking  party  that  it  would 
take  at  least  two  months  of  dieting  to  fill  out 
those  wrinkles,  for  Mr.  Sargeant's  description  of 
their  desperate  condition  had  been,  if  anything, 
underdrawn.  Grim  want  stared  at  her  through 
the  white,  pinched  faces,  Lhe  shriveled  limbs  and 
tattered  garments  of  the  seven  waifs  who  looked 
into  her  face  with  a  mixture  of  curiosity  and 
admiration.  'v    .  ^     •.,- 

"  I  will  take  these."  ,    ,  ^^       ; :    '    ,    ; 

"  All  of  them  ?  "  Mr.  Sargeant  asked  4i«ckly. 
"  Yes ;  they  all  look  as  if  they  needed  a 
change ;  but  we  must  get  something  better  for 
them  to  wear.  I  will  buy  the  material,  and  per- 
haps some  of  your  helpers  will  assist  me  to  make 
them  some  garments." 

"We  will  attend  to  that  part  of  the  work  very 
thankfully.  You  must  not  think  because  these 
look  so  bare  that  we  needlessly  neglect  them.  If 
we  began  to  clothe  the  children  during  the  warm 
weather,  the  parents,  for  the  most  part,  would 
leave  everything  for  us  to  do,  and  then  find  fault 
at  the  quality  of  clothing  supplied." 

Angela  was  looking  too  intently  at  the  children 
to  pay  much  heed  to  what  her  companion  was 
saying. 


V 


214 


RESCUED  FROM  THE  SLUMS. 


**  Should  you  like  to  come  home  with  me  to 
the  jcountry  for  a  few  weeks  ?  "  she  asked.  "  You 
shall  have  plenty  of  good  food  and  green  fields 
to  play  in." 

"  Yes,  mum  ;  we  would,"  some  of  them  found 
voice  to  reply.  The  others  nodded  their  heads, 
but  their  faces  expressed  the  satisfaction  they 
could  not  frame  into  words.  The  seventh  one, 
who  answered  to  the  name  of  Patrick  Canty, 
looked  more  rejoiced  than  any  of  them,  perhaps 
because  his  face  was  more  mobile  and  could  bet- 
ter index  the  sentiment  of  his  heart.  Angela 
was  particularly  taken  with  him  from  the  first. 

"  We  shall  have  you  some  new  clothes  in  a  few 
days ;  as  soon  as  they  are  completed  we  will  go 
to  the  country.  Mr.  Sargeant  will  remember 
your  names,  and  see  that  none  of  you  will  be  left 
out.     You  can  go  now  and  play  with  the  others." 

Angela  turned  and  walked  away  with  Mr. 
Sargeant,  the  prospect  of  having  those  pinched 
faces  about  her  for  several  weeks  already  making 
her  feel  uncomfortable,  but  if  she  could  have 
realized  the  strange,  and  before  unknown  thrill 
of  joy  that  she  had  set  pulsating  in  those  youth- 
fid  breasts,  her  own  heart  would  have  been 
lighter. 

The  band  of  workers  who  had  adopted  this 


V 


BESCUED  FBOM  THE  SLUMS. 


215 


ith  me  to 
i.  "  You 
reen  fields 

lem  found 
leir  heads, 
Btion  they 
renth  one, 
ck  Canty, 
n,  perhaps 
could  bet- 
fa.     Angela 
the  first, 
tes  in  a  few 
we  will  go 
remember 
will  be  left 
;he  others." 
with   Mr. 
>se  pinched 
idy  making 
could  have 
nown  thrill 
hose  youth- 
have  been 


^opted  this 


special  mission  as  their  sphere  of  benevolent 
labor,  entered  so  heartily  into  getting  the  chil- 
dren ready  for  the  journey,  that  before  a  week 
had  elapsed,  every  boy  and  girl  was  fitted  out 
with  a  new  suit  of  clothes.  Angela  was  glad  to 
see  the  work  go  on  so  swiftly.  As  she  saw  mora 
of  her  band  of  seven  who  haunted  the  mission 
chapel  continually,  ostensibly  to  be  on  hand  if 
their  garments  needed  fitting,  but  really  to  watch 
the  fascinating  work  going  on,  she  felt  eager  to 
get  them  away  where  fresh  air  and  wholesome 
food  abounded,  to  see  if  it  would  be  possible  to 
get  those  sharp  bones  hidden,  and  that  famished 
look  taken  from  the  wan  faces. 

The  morning  came  at  last  when  they  were  to 
leave.  The  rain  was  falling  in  torrents,  and  the 
streets  standing  in  filthy  puddles  as  she  drove  to 
the  station.  She  was  half-afraid  they  would  not 
come,  and  most  heartily  wished  she  had  provided 
for  this  contingency  by  ordering  a  coach  for  them, 
but  when  she  got  there  Mr.  Sargeant  was  stand- 
ing near  the  entrance  waiting  for  her,  while  mar- 
shaled behind  him,  were  seven  dripping  figures, 
the  hearts  of  the  little  girls  nearly  broken  because 
of  the  limp  appearance  of  all  their  bravery  of 
attire.  It  was  hard,  the  very  first  hats  they  ever 
possessed  with  new  ribbons  and  artificial  flowers. 


mmmammm 


210 


BCSCUKD  FBOM  THE  BLUMS. 


to  be  80  soon  wilted  by  the  rain.  The  boys  took 
their  wetting  more  philosophically. 

As  they  stood  in  the  chapel  that  morning,  after 
they  had  each  one  indulged  in  a  thorough  bath, 
their  old  clothes  all  discarded  and  everything  new 
and  clean  put  on,  they  had  looked  so  very  fine  in 
their  own  and  one  another's  eyes,  and  now  they 
stood  there  a  limp,  melancholy  group,  the  younger 
ones  ready  to  break  into  weeping  at  the  slightest 
provocation.  But  Angela  looked  so  glad,  and 
smiled  on  them  so  cheerfully  they  forgot  that  the 
sun  was  not  shining,  and  their  little  bodies  as  wet 
as  they  well  could  be. 

Mr.  Sargeant  looked  as  if  he  would  have  given 
a  good  deal  for  the  privilege  of  accompanying 
them.  Two  other  young  men  who  stood  near  at 
hand  watched  the  ill-assorted  group  with  amused 
and  curious  faces.  One  of  them  looked  as  if  he 
thought  the  picture  a  very  fair  one  —  the  refined 
girl  in  her  pretty  traveling  dress,  surrounded  by 
the  limp  figures  who  regarded  her  with  the  hungry 
glances  of  love  one  so  seldom  sees  in  any  face, 
save  in  some  noble  specimen  of  the  canine  race. 
The  other  young  man,  who  was  something  of  an 
exquisite,  and  had  the  vacant  look  that  accom- 
panies that  unfortunate,  and  very  useless  class  of 
individuals  wore  just  now  a  more  decided  expres- 


^ 


BESOUED  FROM  THE  SLUMS. 


217 


loya 


took 


ing,  after 
igh  bath, 
;lung  new 
sry  fine  in 

now  they 
le  younger 
e  slightest 

glad,  and 
[)t  that  the 
dies  as  wet 

have  given 
ompanying 
)od  near  at 
nth  amused 
ted  as  if  he 

the  refined 
•rounded  by 
1  the  hungry 
in  any  face, 
canine  race, 
ething  of  an 

that  accom- 
eless  class  of 
eided  expres- 


sion on  his  dull  features  than  usual,  disgust  and 
admiration  being  pretty  evenly  divided. 

Angela  did  not  observe  either  of  them.  She 
was  too  much  interested  in  her  charge  to  see  the 
many  curious  glances  bent  upon  her,  for  there 
was  probably  not  a  single  pair  of  eyes  but  took 
in  the  group,  of  which  she  was  the  central  figure. 
People  made  way  for  her  at  the  ticket  office,  and 
booths  where  refreshments  were  supplied  to 
travelers,  while  the  clerks  flew  around  with  even 
more  than  their  accustomed  alacrity  to  fill  her 
large  orders.  How  those  fourteen  eyes  watched 
the  cakes  and  sandwiches,  oranges,  apples,  con- 
fectionery, and  all  sorts  of  good  things  exhibited 
at  such  places  as  they  went  into  the  bags,  and 
were  entrusted  to  their  own  hands  to  carry,  for 
no  two  hands  could  possibly  hold  a  quarter  pi 
the  supplies  she  was  laying  in. 

Their  breakfast,  always  somewhat  limited,  both 
in  quantity  and  variety,  had  lacked  the  customary 
sauce  of  hunger  that  morning,  for  the  excite- 
ment and  anxiety  lest  they  might  not  be  on  time 
had  made  them  so  eager  to  start,  they  scarcely 
stdppc'i  to  swallow  so  much  as  a  cold  potato  or 
crust.  But  now  with  the  gratifying  prospect  of 
having  something  good  to  eat,  they  realized 
very  keenly  their  empty  condition. 


« 


218 


BB80UED  FROM  THE  SLUMf. 


Angela,  too,  was  so  beautifully  unconscious 
how  charmingly  she  looked  among  her  waifs,  and 
so  interested  in  satisfying  their  wants  that  she 
forgot  there  was  any  one  save  herself,  the  chil- 
dren, and  the  clerks,  who  seemed  to  be  created 
for  the  express  purpose  of  aiding  in  her  benevo- 
lent enterprises. 

Anxiety  to  secure  plenty  of  room  in  the  car 
made  her  forget  that  Mr.  Sargeaut  was  still 
hovering  near,  waiting  for  his  share  of  solace- 
ment,  and  which  he  craved  more  intensely  than 
the  hungriest  child  in  the  lot.  He  overtook  her 
before  she  entered  the  car.  The  two  young  men 
who  followed  them  were  not  particularly  sympa- 
thetic as  they  noticed  the  preoccupied  air  with 
which  she  bestowed  her  hand  and  said  her  adieus, 
although  her  eyes  did  light  up  cordially  as  she 
thanked  him  for  the  trouble  he  had  taken  in 
bringing  the  children  through  the  storm.  She 
was,  fortunately,  not  conscious  of  the  keen  heart- 
ache he  experienced  as  he  turned  away  to  go 
back  to  the  dregs  of  humanity,  among  whom  his 
lot  was  cast. 

Angela  got  her  children  bestowed  as  comfort- 
ably as  possible!  although  she  was  considerably 
troubled  about  their  damp  condition;  but  they 
unanimously  assured  her  they  did  not  mind  that. 


V 


: 


RESCUED  FROM  THE  SLUMS. 


219 


nconsctous 

waifa,  and 

that  Hhe 

the  chil- 

be  created 

her  benevo- 

in  the  car 
it  was  still 
of  solace- 
tensely  than 
jvertook  hev 
>  yuung  men 
larly  sympa- 
»ied  air  with 
d  her  adieus, 
dially  as  she 
lad  taken  in 

storm.  She 
e  keen  heart- 
l  away  to  go 
ing  whom  his 

>d  as  comf  oH- 
I  considerably 
on;  but  they 
not  mind  that, 


only  so  far  ah  their  clothes  were  concerned. 
Very  soon  ''here  was  a  continual  buzz  of  conver- 
sation from  their  vicinity,  and  a  very  jheerful 
sound  it  was,  for  they  were  enjoying  the  contents 
of  those  paper  bags.  Of  course  Angela  wisely 
regulated  the  quantity,  else  they  might  soon  have 
been  sick  ;  but  at  her  suggestion  they  ate  leisurely, 
and  as  the  supply  was  abundant,  and  t)he  demand 
brisk,  they  scarcely  stopped  eating  until  Long- 
hurst  statiott  was  reached. 

When  they  halted  for  dinner  Angela  got  them 
a  supply  of  hot  coffee,  but  she  wisely  determined 
not  to  exhibit  her  young  savages  at  the  dinner 
table.  She  hud  not  forgotten  Mark's  exploits, 
the  year  before,  with  the  unaccustomed  accessories 
of  a  dinner  table.  Possibly  these  children  would 
acquit  themselves  no  better  than  he. 

When  they  were  leaving  the  station  that  morn- 
ing, aod  Angela  was  still  regarding  her  charge 
with  a  very  satisfied  and  quite  maternal  counte- 
nance, the  vacant  seat  at  her  side  was  taken. 
She  glanced  around  at  the  new-comer,  and  was 
surprised,  and  not  greatly  pleased  to  find  she 
was  likely  to  have  Lewis  Moxton  for  a  traveling 
companion.  He  regarded  her  with  bold,  admir- 
ing eyes,  at  the  same  time  giving  expression  to 
his  evident  satisfaction  at  meeting  her  thus  un- 


■v:,-'. 


220 


BESCUKD  F«OM  THK  BLUMS. 


,_i\- 


expectedly.  They  liad  Hoarcely  conchuUnl  thoir 
grcotingH  wlu'ii  \w  aHkeil  ratlior  iiiipatifiitly  what 
alio  waH  goiii}^  to  du  with  that  hungry -looking 
squr  '  of  chihirvn. 

"  I  am  taking  them  homo  with  me." 

She  Hpoke  with  a  good  deal  of  dignity.  The 
children  were  already  bejjinning  to  assume  a  very 
pleasing  appearance  in  her  eyes. 

"  What  in  tlio  world  are  you  taking  them  to 
the  Pines  for?  You  do  not  need  all  of  them  for 
servants,  surely  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed ;  they  are  going  to  be  ray  guests 
for  a  couple  of  months.  If  we  get  on  harmoni- 
ously,  perhaps  for  a  longer  period.  They  have 
DO  special  business  demanding  their  presence  in 
the  city." 

Angela  never  attempted  putting  on  airs  on  her 
own  behalf  ;  when  she  did  for  her  city  friends  it 
was  a  ludicrous  failure,  as  in  the  present  instance. 
Lewis's  laugh  grated  very  harshly  on  her  ears  as 
he  said  contemptuously : 

"  Well,  no,  I  should  say  that  neither  they  nor 
their  ancestors  knew  much  al>out  business." 

"  Oh !  I  dare  say  I  should  not  get  along  any 
better  than  they  have  done  if  I  had  only  had 
their  chance,  probably  not  so  well,  as  I  never 
could  muster  courage  to  sell  a  newspaper,  and  I 


im 


\ 


llKHiUTKD   FROM  TflR  SLUMS. 


221 


uled  th«'ir 
iitly  wlmt 
ry-lookiiig 


lity.     The 
line  a  very 

iig  them  to 
»f  them  for 

)  my  giieHta 

n  harmoni- 

They  have 

presence  in 

I  aira  on  her 
ty  friends  it 
ent  instance. 
1  her  ears  as 

her  they  nor 
uness." 
jet  along  any 
lad  only  had 
,  as  I  never 
paper,  and  I 


would  he  too  pn)nd  to  black  people's  shoes. 
Tlu'MO  children  have  followed  tlioMc  trades  priu- 
cipally.  Kiiillv.  I  have  a  gn'ut  rcHi)ect  for  them  ; 
some  of  them  have  not  only  earned  their  own 
living,  Imt  contrihnted  to  the  Kiipport  of  others, 
so  Mr.  Sargeant  tohl  uie ;  that  is  a  great  deal 
more  than  either  of  us  havi-  ever  done.  I  don't 
8ui)poH0  now  that  either  of  us  ever  really  earned 
a  dollar  in  our  lives." 

She  bestowed  a  very  proud  look  on  tlie  open- 
moutlied  youths,  who  had  ceased  eating  long 
enough  to  hear  the  recount  of  their  own  excellence. 

Lewis's  face  wore  an  expression  of  disgust, 
which  ho  dare  not  express  otherwise.  To  think 
of  putting  him  on  a  lower  par  than  that  desperate- 
looking  crowd  was  more  than  he  would  have  taken 
from  a  youth  of  his  own  sex,  and  of  less  jdiysical 
caliber.  He  did  not  deign  a  rei)ly,  and  the  worst 
of  it  was  Angela  did  not  look  as  if  one  could 
be  given. 

After  quite'  a  prolonged  silence  he  changed  the 
conversation. 

"Did  you  know  that  Donald  WardcU  was  in 
this  car?"        •  *  ''>■     ';;■:."■'•    :";T    ;■■>,;;■  .'■^'_:''.' 

Angela's  face  turned  pale,  and  then  grew  rosy 


agnni. 


■  No,  indeed ;  is  he  really  in  this  car  with  us  ?  " 


N 


229 


ui<:h(;uki)  kkum  tiiu  hlumh. 


?'  YoH ;  a  few  HcatH  Imck." 

An^cln  tui'iit'd  li<>r  heati,  but  thoro  wnn  no  ono 
in  Hi^ht  iiiiHwcring  tu  thu  lad  hIiu  hud  nut  aeun  for 
threi)  yuai'H. 

"Do  you  Hce  that  fidh)W  with  tho  book  in  hi» 
hand  -  tho  ono  witli  tho  brown  curly  hair,  and 
in  hiH  Itart!  hoad '/  " 

"  Ilow  ho  huH  chungud  !  1  Hhuuld  uuvur  havo 
known  him." 

Sho  »i)oko  wistfully.  Tho  chang(!  in  hiH  ap- 
poaranct'  wan  cortaiidy  for  tho  bottor,  but  Htill 
sho  rocognlKod  it  waH  tho  sa.no  faco  whon  hIio  bu< 
gan  to  look  nioro  olosoly,  only  grown  manly  —  a 
strong,  intonsc  face,  with  a  p:)wur  not  oftun  noon 
in  one  ho  young.  The  firm,  liandHonio  mouth 
Hooinod  capable  of  uttering  tho  nobloHt  thOugh^H, 
but  looked  as  if  no  impure  or  ignoble  word  could 
pass  from  its  keeping;  the  eyes  wore  fixed  on 
tho  book.  She  could  not  tell  what  varying  ex- 
pressions they  could  hold,  but  the  broad  forehead 
about  which  tho  brown  hair  was' curling  as  of 
old,  seemed  cai)abl«  of  holding  many  secirets  of 
knowledge,  of  orif^'i.wiiing  splendid  thoughts  that 
might  enrich  generations  yet  to  como.  She  was 
only  a  few  seconds  looking  at  him,  but  her  gazo 
was  searching,  and  if  she  was  not  a  bright  stu- 
dent of  books  she  was  clever  at  reading  human 


|i 


RKHCUKI)    FRUM   THK  HIATM8. 


wan  no  ono 
lot  Bt'isn  for 

)<)ok  in  hi« 
y  hair,  iu»«l 

never  have 

I  in  hin  ap- 
tr,  but  still 
^heii  Bhc  he- 
i  manly  —  a 
t  often  H«eu 
u»nio    mouth 
(Ht  thOugh*H, 
3  word  could 
ore  fixed  on 
varying  ex- 
uad  forehead 
iurling  as  of  . 
iiy  seerets  of 
thoughts  that 
tie.     She  was 
but  her  gaze 
a  bright  stu- 
ading  human 


fa^on.  Tlio  nigh  that  encAped  hor  lipH  unoon- 
Ncitxisly  wan  not  unnoticed  by  hor  companion, 
who  was  wat(!hing  her  closely. 

"  Do  you  think  him  very  good  looking  ?  " 

♦»  He  looks  very  good." 

♦'  Oh  I  I  expect  he  is  as  much  of  a  prig  an  ever 
—  liardly  knows  whether  he  is  alive  or  not,  and 
satisfied  so  long  as  lu;  has  a  book  in  his  hand." 

''  1  [o  has  made  better  use  of  books  than  most 
of  us  1  should  judgo.by  the  reports  I  have  read 
of  his  graduating  honors.  You  saw  the  very 
flattering  mention  made  of  him  in  the  papers,  I 
presume?  " 

'*  Yes;  I  saw  them,"  ho  said  moodily. 

"  It  did  not  surprise  me  at  all  that  ho  gained 
such  triumphs.  I  expect  he  will  be  one  of  the 
great  men  of  our  country  some  day." 

"  But  he  will  always  be  the  son  of  your  serv- 
ant, no  matter  what  ho  becomes,"  Lewis  said 
with  weak  spite.  \tn     , 

"  What  difference  will  that  make  ?  only  very 
silly  people  are  concerned  about  the  family  con- 
nections of  celebrat';d  men.  I  believe  most  folk 
who  have  faculty  enough  to  appreciate  them  are 
so  thankful  to  get  them  they  don't  much  mind 
how  they  were  born,"  Angela  said  loftily. 

"  You  are  too  ignorant  to  judge  anything  about 


-^•: 


224 


EESCITED  PKOM  THE  SLUMS. 


i^.m 


it.-  I  can  tell  you  people  do  think  a  great  deal 
more  about  your  family  connections  and  position 
than  anything  else  —  only  the  depth  of  your 
])ocket ;  that  is  a  consideration,"  he  said  rather 
insultingly.  .    " 

"  It  must  be  a  very  unfortunate  thing  for  you 
Longhurst  people  that  such  is  the  case.  Lindsay 
says  every  one  there  is  of  commonplace  origin. 
They  cannot  trace  back  their  ancestry  to  their 
great-gi-andparents,  any  wq.y,  without  coming  in 
contact  with  peasants.  And  even  if  they  were 
first-lass  families  they  would  need  to  be  ashamed 
of  their  descendants,  and  that  is  worse  than  the 
other  ;.  it  is  what  I  anj  myself,  and  not  what  some 
old  ancestor  gone  to  dust  might  have  been  that 
makes  me  noble  or  despicable.  I  have  no  pa- 
tience with  snch  things.  Why,  Lindsay  don't 
reckon  our  Alderneys  or  Jerseys  by  their  ances- 
tors, but  by  their  own  individual  qualities  as 
milkers  and  butter  makers  —  and  it  is  just  the 
same  thing." 

She  ended  her  sentence  triumphantly,  but  look- 
ing into  Lewis's  angry  and  discomfited  face  her 
blaze  of  righteous  wr?th  died  out  directly. 

"I  believe  I  have  said  some  unkind  things, 
Lew  is  ;  I  am  very  sorry  that  you  provoked  them." 

"  I  should  say  they  were  unkind,   and  very 


«ilN 


:?*»i3RTH^lSl5^W^^^ 


9. 

\  great  deal 

and  position 

3th  of  your 

said  rather 

bing  for  you 
se.     Lindsay 
place  origin. 
istry  to  their 
ut  coming  in 
if  they  were 
o  be  ashamed 
orse  than  the 
not  what  some 
ave  been  that 
;  have  no  pa- 
Lindsay  don't 
ay  their  ances- 
al  qualities  as 
,  it  is  just  the 

antly,butlook- 
mfited  face  her 
directly, 
unkind  things, 
)rovoked  them." 
kind,  and  very 


RESCUED  PROM  THE  SLUMS. 


225 


rude,  too ;  but  since  you  are  sorry  I  won't  remem- 
ber them  against  you,"  he  said  magnanimously. 

"  I  am  afraid  they  were  not  what  a  Christian 
should  say ;  that  is  the  worst  of  all.  Sometimes 
I  think  I  shall  never  be  a  real  Christian  —  one 
of  the  beautiful  and  patient  kind." 

She  spoke  sorrowfuUy,  and  with  such  deep 
humility  any  one  possessed  of  a  nature  not  utterly 
coarse  would  have  been  touched  by  her  confession. 

"  I  don't  think  your  Christianity  will  hurt  you ; 
for  one  thing,  you  are  too  hard  on  society 
people." 

•  "  I  like  nice,  cultured  society  people  —  not 
the  ones  who  only  think  about  what  they  shall 
eat  and  wear,  and  who  they  will  associate  withi 
One  never  gets  a  single  noble  thought  from  such 
people." 

"  Noble  thoughts  don't  help  people  along  much 
in  this  world  —  a  bookf ul  of  them  wouldn't  get 
you  a  dinner."  , 

Lewis's  ideas  were  too  ignoble  to  listen  to,  and 
Angela  merely  responded  to  his  remarks  after 
that  with  briefest  possible  replies.  His  presence 
had  banished  all  the  happy  thoughts  that  had 
been  making  the  leaden  skies,  with  their  copious 
outpouring  of  water,  almost  as  cheerful  as  sunny 
skies  were  on  average  occasions.     He  left  her 


5P 


tmm. 


If 


KBSCUED  FROM  THE  SLUMS. 


presently,  saying  he  wished  to  see  a  friend  in  the 
smoking  car,  but  he  would  be  back  shortly,  ask- 
ing her  to  retain  the  seat  for  him.  She  did  not 
promise,  but  he  coiild>  not  believe  any  sensible 
girl  would  prefer  Donald  Wardell  for  a  traveling 
companion,  and  Angela  was  sensible  enough,  only 
a  little  democratic  and  Utopian  in  her  views.  He 
did  not  feel  any  uneasiness  of  conscience  either  at 
calling  a  cigar  his  friend.  He  certainly  felt  the 
need  of  its  solacement  to  regain  his  mental  bal- 
ance after  Angela's  unexpected  lecture. 

She  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief  ai.  his  departure, 
hoping  his  friend  might  prove  so  attractive  he 
would  not  leave  him.  She  cast  a  timid  backward 
glance  at  Donald^  and  saw  that  his  book  was 
closed,  while  he  seemed  to  be  very  intently  re- 
garding that  portion  of  space  which  she  occupied. 
When  he  caught  her  eyes  his  own  lighted  up 
suddenly.  Their  expression  was  unchanged,  save 
that  she  fancied  there  were  deeper  meanings  in 
their  cidm  depths,  as  if  they  reflected  a  mind  that 
had  penetrated  many  subtle  mysteries.  Bhe  fell 
to  studying  them  intently.  She  remembered  her- 
self directly,  and  with  her  old,  sunny  smile, 
bowed  graciously.  He  scarcely  waited  to  re- 
spond to  her  salutation,  but  came  directly  to  her. 

"How  much  you  have  changed,  Angela!     I 


it 


"  S-SfSifsif  Sn;S8£3l'iS^f*S5<gS?^Si.  ■■ 


friend  ia  the 
shortly,  ask- 
She  did  not 
any  sensible 
ar  a  traveling 
I  enough,  only 
er  views.     He 
ience  either  at 
tainly  felt  the 
is  mental  bal- 

ture. 

his  departure, 
)  attractive  he 
;imid  backward 
his  book  was 
jry  intently  re- 
•h  she  occupied, 
own  lighted  up 
unchanged,  save 
per  meanings  iu 
cted  a  mind  that 
teries.     She  fell 
remembered  her- 
Id,  sunny  smile, 
y   waited  to  re- 
le  directly  to  her. 
iged,  Angebl     I 


BESCUED  FROM  THE  SLUMS. 


227 


certainly  did  not  expect  to  find  you  a  young  lady  • 
grown.     But    I    should    have   known  you  even 
without    this   collection   of    young    folk  —  they 
would  have  revealed  your  identity  if  my  memory 
had  been  treacherous." 

"You  have  changed  also.  I  would  not  have 
recognized  you  if  Lewis  had  not  pointed  you  out 
to  me.  It  seems  pathetic  we  should  outgrow  each 
other  in  these  few  years." 

"  I  can  readily  account  for  your  not  noticing 
me ;  you  had  eyes  for  no  one  save  your  interest- 
ing charge.  You  were  not  aware  of  the  curious 
glances  bes^^owed  upon  you  when  you  came  to  the 
station." 

"No;  I  did  not  see  any  one  looking  at  me 
particularly.  Now  that  I  think  of  it  I  must  have 
seemed  rather  young  to  have  so  many  children, 
and  all  of  a  size  nearly.  I  do  not  wonder  the 
people  were  puzzled,"  she  remarked  indififerently. 
"  Not  a  single  individual  there  mistook  them 
for  your  own  children,"  he  said,  with  difficulty 
restraining  a  smile. 

"Probably  they  thought  I  was  their  sister." 
Her  eyes  rested  on  the  seven  faces  turned  again 
to  their  interrupted  refection  with  new  interest, 
and  a  measure  of  regret  to  think  she  wr »  not 
rich  enough  to  claim  so  many  kindred. 


-*■•■■•  i'si»i-s.r,  .'tmssamfms^:, ' 


!■■■ 


wm 

4t 


m 


RESCUED  FBOM  THE  SLUMS. 


_"  Do  you  remember  how  I  used  to  wish  that 
you  were  my  brother?  I  think  it  was  partly 
from  selfish  motives.  I  wanted  some  one  with 
whom  to  share  my  troublesome  belonging^,"  she 
said  honestly. 

"  I  remember  very  distinctly  the  first  hours  we 
spent  together  in  the  library  hunting  for  a  book 
about  grubs  and  insects,  that  I  resolved  I  would 
be  worthy  of  your  kindness." 

"  You  have  fulfilled  your  resolve." 

"  Not  yet ;  T  am  a  long  way  still  from  fulfill- 
ing it ;  but  some  day  I  may  be  worthy  of  your 
friendship." 

"  O, "Donald  I  how  can  you  say  that  ?  As  if  yon 
were  not  so  far  above  me  now  I  can  scarcely  dare 
to  call  you  my  friend ;  it  seems  like  presumption." 

"The  world  would  say  the  presumption  was 
all  the  other  way ;  I  am  glad  you  have  kept  free 
from  its  spirit  and  taint.  I  was  so  afraiJ  I 
should  finid  you  spoiled,  but  I  might  have  known 
better  —  understood  you  better." 

"  But  you  are  surely  disappointed  in  me  ?  I 
have  failed  as  a  student,  did  you  not  know  ? " 

"Yes,  I  knew."     He  spoke  very  soberly. 

"I  tried,  for  your  sake,  to  be  learned,  but 
after  T  met  Dora  and  found  out  about  the  suffer- 
ing there  is  in  the  world  I  could  not  waste  any 


\.^ 


MM 


i£&,-f 


wish  vliat 
vas  partly 
B  one  with 


g»ng8» 


she 


st  hours  we 

for  a  book 

red  I  would 


from  fulfiU- 
■thy  of  your 

As  if  you 
jcarcely  dare 
resumption.' 
amption  was 
,ve  kept  free 
so  afraiO  I 
b  have  known 


)t  know? 
soberly, 
learned,  but 
out  the  suffer- 
not  waste  any 


BESCUED  FROM  THE  BLUMS. 


229 


more  on  myEelf.     Mark  will  be  a  scholar  in  my 
place." 

"  I  have  never  heard  of  Dora." 

"  She  was  the  friend  I  took  in  your  place.  I 
thought  you  had  forgotten  your  promise  about 
being  my  friend  always.  I  never  had  so  much 
as  a  line  from  you  all  these  years." 

"  I  was  always  selfish,  Angela ;  at  bast  so  far 
as  time  went.  That  is  my  only  excuse,  save  that 
I  never  thought  of  writing.  I  could  not  know 
that  you  would  care  to  hear  from  me." 

*'It  would  have  been  a  g^eat  waste  of  your 
time,  for  you  could  not  have  written  to  me  about 
what  most  interested  you,  since  I  was  not  clever 
enough  to  understand  about  those  subjects,  and 
no  doubt  I  would  have  found  it  a  bore  answering 
your  letters.  I  always  do  when  I  write  to  any 
one,  and  yours  would  have  been  hardest  of  all, 
for  I  would  have  tri<;d  to  make  you  think  there 
were  some  brains  stored  away  in  my  head  capable 
of  good  strong  thought,  and  honcfstly  I  do  not 
think  there  are." 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  that  your  estimate  is  correct." 

"Well,  I  have  left  off  trying  to  be  very  much, 
and  it  is  such  a  relief.  Now  I  can  read  and  en- 
joy the  very  best  writers,  since  I  can  give  myself 
ui    to  the  pleasure  of  reading,  without  having 


wmm 


a*es;sii  Si^S: 


■lUiJta.... 


p 


BE8CUED  FROM  THE  SLUMS. 


to  analyze  and  criticise,  and  all  such  nunsei.se, 
when  it  is  as  milch  as  I  c:mi  do  honestly  to  read 
the  daily  papers." 

She  fancied  Donald  was  regarding  her  with  an 
air  of  disappointment,  so  she  hastened  to  add: 
"  It  is  no  use  trying  to  deceive  one's  self.  It 
looks  so  pathetic  to  me  seeing  people  who  are 
only  small,  commonplace  individuals,  straining 
all  their  powers  to  he  something  quite  beyond 
their  reach.  They  lose  all  the  cream  of  life  as 
they  go  along,  grasping  at  the  impossible,  and 
for  the  most  part  leaving  undone  the  simple  work 
easily  within  their  reach." 

"  You  are  determined  to  do  the  simple  duty. 
My  father  writes  me  very  often  about  your  Mark 
and  Lucy.  He  thinks  you  may  be  proud  of 
Mark  yet  And  these  —  are  they  to  be  adopted, 
too?" 

"  No ;  I  am  taking  them  home  for  a  holiday. 
I  think  I  can  give  them  a  start  they  won't  forget 
for  a  g^ood  while ;  perhaps  I  may  get  homes  for 
them,"  she  continued  hopefully.  ^ 

Lewis    interrupted    their  conversation.      He> 
looked   down   haughtily   at   Donald,   but   stood 
silently  waiting  for  him  to  leave.     When  they 
saw  him  approaching  Donald  whispered,  "Will 
I  make  way  for  him? " 


BKT 


nonsei.se, 
tly  to  read 

ler  with  on 
ed  to  add: 
8  gelf.  It 
le  who  are 
8,  straining 
lite  beyond 
a  of  life  as 
tossible,  and 
simple  work 

simple  duty. 

your  Mark 

>e  proud  of 

)  be  adopted, 

for  a  holiday, 
r  won't  forget 
•et  homes  for 

rsation.      He 

id,   but  stood 

When  they 

jpered,  "WiU 


BBSCUED  FROM  THE  SLUMS. 


281 


«'Not  unless  you  wish  to;  I  had  rather  not 
have  him  beside  me." 

Lewis  was  forced  to  speak,  which  he  did  as 
rudely  as  he  dare,  but  Donald  was  rather  too 
muscular  to  venture  many  liberties  with. 

"  I  will  thank  you  for  my  seat,"  he  said  at  last. 

Angela  arose  directly,  and  casting  a  glance  up 
and  down  the  car,  said  to  Donald,  "  I  see  a  vacant 
seat  back  here." 

Then  turning  to  the  children  shie  said,  "  I  am 
going  farther  away,  but  you  will  be  just  as  well 
behaved  as  if  I  sat  near  you  ?  " 

"Yes,  mum;  we'll  be  good,"  they  responded 
heartily,  their  keen  eyes  twinkling  with  pleasure 
at  the  discomfiture  of  the  exquisite  young  man 
who  stood  helplessly  watching  Angela's  energetic 
movements.  She  was  not  obliged  io  vacate  her 
seat,  for  Lewis  gathered  himself  together  and 
marched  with  great  dignity  out  of  the  car. 
With  a  look  of  amusement  she  sank  contentedly 
down,  and  the  remainder  of  the  journey  she  was 
left  severely  alone  by  the  offended  Lewis.  She 
felt  very  certain  his  indignation  would  be  of  short 
duration,  since  it  was  utterly  impossible  to  offend 
or  snub  him.  Lewis  knew  the  prize  was  too  rich 
a  one  to  lose  for  the  luxury  of  giving  way  to  his 
temper. 


'sT         Wfflfc-5.' -•--»«' 


■» 


282 


RBSOUED  FUCM  THE  SLUMS. 


In  the  early  twilight  they  reached  Longhurst. 
Warilell  and  Mark  were  at  the  station  to  meet 
them  with  a  pair  of  horsen  and  great  fai-m  wagon 
large  enough  to  hold  a  fair-sized  Sunday-schooL 
Mark  was  anxious  to  have  his  old  associates  im- 
pressed at  once  with  the  quantity  and  quality  of 
pleasures  in  store  for  them,  and  had  the  horses 
and  wagon  both  decorated  with  such  odds  and 
ends  of  bright  ribbons  and  bits  of  worsted  as  he 
could  lay  his  hands  on.  The  team  altogether  was 
very  astonishing  in  appearance,  but  Angela  only 
smiled  at  her  variegated  equipage,  and  nompli- 
jnented  Mark  on  his  industry.  Lewis  Mpxton 
stood  with  a  group  of  young  men  a  little  apart 
from  the  people  on  the  platform  solacing  his 
wounded  sensibilities  by  sneering  remarks  at  the 
expense  of  Angela,  Donald  and  their  companions. 
But  the  merry  crowd  starting  out  in  the  soft  twi- 
light were  indifferent  to  their  sarcasms. 

The  rain  had  ceased  at  midday,  the  moon  was 
just  climbing  the  distant  horizon,  shedding  its 
faint  light  across  the  broad  band  of  water  that 
stretched  southward  for  many  a  long  mile,  and 
the  air  about  them  had  the  perfume  of  multitudes 
of  blossoms,  folding  themselves  softly  away  now 
for  the  long  night's  refrenhment.  What  a  reve- 
lation these  visions  of   wide  sweeping  uplands 


\ 


nghurst. 
to  iue«t 
I  wagon 
y-8chool. 
iates  itn- 
uality  of 
le  horses 
[)d(l8  and 
tetl  as  he 
ether  was 
igela  only 
coinpli- 
Mpxton 
ittle  apart 
acing   his 
rks  at  the 
tmpanions. 
le  soft  twi- 

moon  was 
edding  its 
water  that 
;  mile,  and 
multitudes 
r  away  now 
liat  a  reve- 
ig  uplands 


BE8CUKD  FROM  THE  SLUMS. 


288 


and  sheeny  waters,  the  perfumed  air  and  dct>p 
Hilenees  were  to  the  city  waifs.  Patrick  Canty 
sat  with  his  back  to  the  horses  in  unbroken 
silence.  Could  it  bo  possible  that  this  wide,  fair 
worUl,  so  clean  and  still,  was  made  the  same  as 
the  slums  where  he  had  all  his  life  herded?  In 
the  clear  eyes  a  new  wondering  light  wa^  shining. 
Could  this  be  like  the  green  fields  and  running 
brooks  of  the  land  far,  far  away  they  were  often 
set  to  sing  about  in  the  Sunday-school  ?  He  had 
never  rightly  understood  what  those  things  meant, 
although  he  had  on  both  occasions  gone  with  the 
rest  to  the  picnics  by  the  seashore ;  but  that 
place  was  not  like  this.  Even  this  world  was,  it 
seemed,  not  all  created  alike.  He  wondered  if 
God  grew  tired  sometimes  while  he  was  creating 
the  huge  pile,  and  slighted  some  parts  of  it  — 
cities  for  instance.  ISew,  strange  thoughts  came 
crowding  into  his  brain,  and,  for  the  first  time  in 
all  his  life,  he  was  glad  he  too  had  been  given  a 
place  among  all  the  teeming  existences  in  the 
universe. 

He  felt  it  very  good  to  be  alive,  and  just  in  the 
place  he  was  then  located.  This  feeling  was  in- 
tensified when  they  reached  the  Pines  and  sat 
down  to  the  delicious  dinner  Lindsay  had  mag- 
nanimously prepared   for  them ;   iried  chicken, 


f 


c 


t 


■■*v 


114  UEM^UED  VKOM  TUB  8LCM9. 

c,.W  ham,  .W  a„a  .,«,n  vytnW..,  an^  .ml. 
li,l,t  lT.,a.l  a,..l  l.i.n.it.  a.  it  luul  n.vcr  l,™n  to 
.riviH-..  to  ">"  >>'*■■  '"»  "'"«'"■•  ""  '  '"',"". 

ft  at  ng  «"  t.„.  wM*  »«"  a  my-'^y  «,.  h.m,  but 
ga,e  a  ftavor  to  the  .oS«  that  wa.  .ar,.n.mg. 


V 


CHAPTER  XV. 


NEW    UOMEB. 


Angela  found  as  the  weeks  wore  slowly  away 
that  she  had  aHSUined  a  rather  tryiug  charge. 
Not  one  of  the  children  she  had  brought  from 
the  city  could  endure  the  thought  of  going  l)a<;k. 
They  were  not  like  the  old  ladies  provided  with 
comfortable  country  homes,  who  speedily  surprised 
their  benefactors  by  turning  up  in  their  old  haunts, 
their  only  shelter  a  wretched  garret  in  the  city, 
with  the  excuse  that  people  were  more  company 
than  stumps.  To  send  them  back  against  their 
will  was  a  task  too  painful  for  her,  and  to  keep 
them  all  at  the  Pines  waa  equally  difficult,  since 
Lindsay  could  hardly  tolerate  them  for  a  few 

weeks.  ^^•'«»- 

Lucy  also  made  matters  more  difficult ;  she  was 
inclined  to  put  on  airs  both  of  ownership  and 
superior  knowledge,  that  the  others  for.nd  par- 
ticxdarly  exasperating.     Mark  and  the  other  lads 

285 


286 


MKW   IIOMRg. 


jjot  oil  with  Vfi-y  fi-w  friK'tiircs  of  tlut  |m'iu'().  IIo 
hud  nuvfi'  yt:i  bi-oki'ii  liirt  ])r(tiiiiHi>  in  tlu>  iiiatf«-r 
of  H^htiii},';  tluH,  niid  thu  iiiNtint'tivu  fi'vliii^  tliiit 
tlu'y  wt'i'u  luH  giu'Htrt  in  part,  ki'pt  him  iroui  viohit- 
lufi  tho  proprictieH  to  nny  Herioiin  oxti-nt,  ultiiuu};h 
hi)  foiiiul  it  trviii^  not  to  puni.sli  tlio  ludn  iih  tiicy 
richly  (U-Hcrvrd,  when  hu  found  tiieni  iniiid^in^r 
thoir  nuHehiovouH  and  dostriictivo  tendencicM. 
An;j^«'hi  wuH  Honu'tinu'H  fore«>d  to  treat  with  Honio 
of  thu  woi'Ht  actrt  of  iuHuhordination,  not  only  to 
phioato  Mark,  Init  Lindsay,  who  declared  that  her 
gray  hairs  were  gettinj;;  bronyht  in  Borrow  to 
the  grave  by  the  doings  going  on  under  her 
own  eyes.  > 

The  pniiishment  meted  ont  to  the  offenders  was 
not  only  distasteful  to  themselves,  but  unsatisfac- 
tory to  Mark  and  Lindsay,  who  agreed  that  the 
offenses  were  out  of  all  proportion  to  the 
punishment. 

Jf  they  could  have  perfectly  read  the  workings 
of  those  youthful  hearts  as  they  sat  in  Angela's 
own  j)rivate  sitting-room,  which  slio  had  lately 
fitted  up  regardless  of  the  prevailing  fashions  in 
upholstery,  but  in  her  own  eyes  a  perfect  gem 
of  a  room,  tlu^y  would  have  discovered  that  her 
mode  of  ])unishnu'nt  was  much  more  distasteful 
to  the  victims  than  the  corporal  punislunent  they 


■  -^^--^^.y  Ai\ri'  .V y 4'^': tf A'-v?^". g^ '^^"^A 


KFAV   II0MK8. 


2n7 


woiiM  th<imH<(lv«'H  Imve  Biifj^entod  Angelu  rutluT 
t'uj<»y«'il  Imviiig  thorn  brought  to  lii'i-  for  moiiio  iirt 
of  iniHtlonicaiior,  »ineo  Hhe  coiihl  tuku  tlwm,  onu 
at  a  tiiiu',  aiul  a<lininiHt«>r  tlic  Holt'iiiu  U'«tur«  tliat 
tuitlfr  ordinary  ciri'mimtaiicoH  «ili«  would  have 
found  ahnoHt  iinpoHBihlc. 

An  hour  Hpiiit  in  that  room  with  its  exquiHite 
furiiiHliingH,  and  alono  with  its  fair  young  uiIk- 
troHH,  who  Hat  with  their  hand  hidd  t«(ndi^rly  in 
her»  talking  in  that  horrowful  way  over  their  fail- 
ing»  an«l  nuBdeeds,  made  them  actually  long  Bome- 
time»  to  he  back  in  the  dirty  Htreets  of  the  city. 
There  they  were  at  least  free  from  nuch  painful 
gceneH  a»  this,  and  while  undergoing  their  torture, 
the  delicious  fare  at  the  Pine»  that  was  round- 
ing out  their  forms  and  faces  in  such  a  snrpris- 
ing  way,  and  the  fun  and  frolic  that  oi-cnpied 
most  of  their  time  when  not  engaged  in  mischief, 
8i!en»ed  a  high  price  to  pay. 

They  were  not  specially  i)ad  children,  hut  human 
nature  left  unresti-ained  for  ten  or  twelve  years 
is  usually  at  the  best  a  very  weedy  affair.  If 
they  had  the  original  "germ  o|  goodness"  the 
said  germ  had  al)6ut  lost  its  vitality. 

Angela  was  beginning  to  see  how  vety  little 
could  be  accomrdished  for  the  children  in  a  few 
weeks'  training,  and  since  they  were  so  opposed 


238 


NEW   HOMES. 


f4 


'  >  41> 


>'f 


1,1 


to  going  back  to  city  life  again,  she  began  io  look 
about  her  very  anxiously  for  homes  where  they 
would  be  subjected  always  to  pure,  healthy  in- 
fluences. Accompanied  by  Mark  for  teamster, 
and  first  ouc  and  then  another  of  her  young 
visitors,  she  made  excursions  more  or  less  extended 
through  the  neighboring  hamlets,  seeking  homes 
for  them.  She  wanted  them  away  from  town  life 
altogether,  preferring  the  comjiarative  innocence 
of  lonely  farmsteads  to  Longhurst,  or  places  simi- 
lar to  it.  Mark  knew  what  the  object  of  these 
delightful  excursions  was  for ;  he  enjoyed  them 
for  several  reasons. 

Angela  was  never  so  charming  a  companion 
as  when  she  had  two  or  three  with  her,  sitting 
behind  a  proud-stepping  horse  whom  she  had  cher- 
ished in  her  affections  from  its  colthood,  and  who 
knew  and  loved  her  almost  with  the  affection 
of  a  noble  dog.  What  stories  she  would  tell  — 
thought  out,  probably,  as  they  went  along  —  and 
with  a  moral  so  applicable  to  the  needs  of  her 
listeners  they  were  filled  with  amazement  at  the 
similarity  of  exjx'riences  young  people  have  in 
this  world.  Then  she  had  a  passion  for  natural 
scenery,  and  would,  even  in  the  most  exciting 
portions  of  her  story,  pause  to  direct  their  atten- 
tion to  some  surpassingly  fair  scene  near  at  hand. 


legan  io  look 
where  they 
healthy  in- 
for  teamster, 
•f  her  young 
less  extended 
eeking  homes 
roiii  town  life 
;ive  innocence 
ov  places  siiui- 
bject  of  these 
enjoyed  them 

a  companion 
th  her,  sitting 
n  she  had  cher- 
thood,  and  who 
1  the  affection 
e  would  toll  — 
it  along  —  and 
e  needs  of  her 
lazement  at  the 
people  have  in 
ion  for  natural 
I  most   exciting 
rect  their  atten. 
le  near  at  hand. 


SEEKING   A   HOMK  FUK   llliU  YOUNG   VISITORS. 


1|. 


■ 


■■r\-  •. 


HMMMi 


■■<i"i 


NEW  HOMES. 

or  away  towards  the  far  horizon.     Mark  used  to 
think  he  would  never  have  got  so  well  acquainted 
with  the  world  he  lived  in  hut  for  her.     Then,  , 
for  the  core  depraved  nature  of  him  there  was 
another,  and  far  different  sort  of  satisf:    tion.     • 

To  be  driving  a  fat,  shining  horse  wlio  arched 
his  neck  and  tossed  his  mane,  while  he  curveted 
and  biased  along  the  shady,  tree-bordered  lanes, 
with  a  pair  of  admiring  and  extremely  envious 
eyes  watching  his  hands,  and  the  horse,  was  a 
satisfaction  dear  to  bis  heart. 

Mark  generally  could  tell  by  Angek's  face  when 
she  came  back  to  the  carriage,  from  a  call  at  a 
farmhouse,  if  she  had  met  with  success  or  failure. 
She  always  took  the  boy  or  girl  for  whom  she 
was  seeking  a  home,  into  the  house  with  hoir,  and 
then  on  some  pretense  or  other  would  sead  them 
out  to  Mark  again  whUe  she  plead  their  cause 

alone. 

One  morning  while  her  visitors  were  enjoying 
their  breakfast,  she  asked  which  of  them  were 
most  anxious  to  get  homes  in  the  country.  In^ 
stantly  seven  voices  more  or  less  muffled  with 
oatmeal  and  cream,  cried,  "I  would  1"  and 
directly  the  interest  in  their  breakfast  ceased. 

"  I  have  found  a  very  good  home  at  Farmer 
Ingledorf's,  out  on  the  new  road ;  he  wants  the 


.^'^ii..Jirf,.-i 


!       :■■ 


BS!!s*?»ws?s»rr 


^    ■« 


MM 


240 


MEW   HOMES. 


boy  and  girl  he  has  decided  to  adopt,  to  ^  out 
there  to-day,  to  remain  permanently." 

"  Please  let  me  go,"  came  more  or  less  impetu- 
ously from  seven  mouths. 

^  "  You  are  all  of  you  quite  sure  that  you  will 
be  content  in  a  quiet  farmhouse  —  not  bt  home- 
sick for  the  crowds  in  the  city,  and  the  noise  and 
bustle  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Certain !  who  wants  to  go  where  there  ain't 
a  cow  or  hen  or  squirrel  ?  "  one  of  the  boys  said 
contemptuously. 

''  I  would  like  to  go  back  to  see  my  mother  some- 
times," Maimie  Anderson  said  pensively.  "You 
see  she's  sick  most  of  the  time,  and  she's  got 
nobody  but  me." 

"  We  expect  to  bring  her  here  to  live ;  how 
would  you  like  that?"  Angela  asked,  with  a 
smile  that  Maimie  thought  was  the  most  beautiful 
expression  of  face  she  had  ever  beheld. 

"  Where  could  she  live  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  speaking  about  her  to  Mr.  Ingle- 
do'  f .  He  has  spare  room  for  her  in  a  cottage 
where  one  of  his  farm  hands  lives.  She  will  get 
all  the  sewing  she  can  do  from  the  farmers'  wives 
in  the  neighborhood.  They  will  be  mutually 
helpful  to  each  other." 

"  Won't  you  let  me  go  to  live  with  Mr.  Ingle- 


^. 


issa 


MMMimMMaKM 


|)pt,  to  tjo  out 

less  impetu- 

that  you  will 
not  bt  liome- 
the  noise  and 

sre  there  ain't 
the  boys  said 

r  mother  some- 
sively.  "  You 
and  she's  got 

5  to  live ;  how 
asked,  with  a 
I  most  beautif  id 
iheld. 

iv  to  Mr.  Ingle- 
er  in  a  cottage 
I.  She  will  get 
J  farmers'  wives 
U   be  mutually 

vith  Mr.  Ingle- 


NEW  HOMES. 


241 


I 


dorf?  Please  do  let  me  go,  so  I  can  see  my 
mother  every  day  I  "  Maimie  pleaded,  with  tears 
in  her  eyes. 

"  Yes,  Maimie  ;  it  is  already  decided  that  you 
ai'e  to  go  there,  and  I  shall  write  to  your  mother 
to^lay.  She  can  sell  her  few  sticks  of  furniture, 
and  we  will  set  her  up  with  what  she  needs  here 
—  articles  clean  and  safe,  to  take  into  a  decent 
house." 

Maimie  danced  around  so  joyously  one  could 
fancy  even  the  ministering  angels  would  feel  more 
comfortably  as  they  passed  to  and  fro  on  their 
errands  of  love. 

"  Your  visit  here  bad  not  really  terminated, 
but  good  Mrs.  Ingledorf  was  anxious  to  get  her 
children.  She  has  never  had  any  of  her  own, 
and  is  prepared  to  love  you  very  dearly,  if  you  will 
only  do  what  is  right." 

"Please,  'm,  which  of  us  is  going?"  Patrick 
Canty,  the  most  trying  one  in  the  lot,  asked 
anxiously.  « 

"  I  could  not  recommend  you,  Patrick,"  Angela 
said  reproachfully.  "I  do  not  know  if  I  dare 
trust  you  in  any  home,  you  are  so "  —  She 
hesitated,  not  willing  to  hurt  the  lad'«  feelings 
by  telling  him  the  truth. 

"  I'll  be  that  good  after  this  you'll  never  have  to 


\^ 


242 


NEW  U0MB3. 


say  again  I'm  so  bad."  He  finished  the  sentence 
for  her. 

"  Billy  Kay  has  been  the  fortunate  boy,  this 
time,  to  get  a  home;  but  there  are  other  kind 
people  who  have  almost  decided  to  adopt  some 
more  of  you.  The  next  best  boy  shall  have  the 
first  o£Fer."  Tatrick's  face  settled  into  an  expres- 
sion that  implied  his  intention  of  being  good,  no 
matter  at  what  cost,  so  as  to  secure  the  first 
vacancy. 

Maimie,  and  Billy  Kay,  who  was  a  quiet,  well- 
intentioned  lad  naturally,  washed  themselves  until 
their  faces  shone,  and  performed  their  toilet  with 
a  precision  that  was  only  limited  by  their  supply 
of  garments.  When  they  drove  away,  the  remain- 
ing five  were  grouped  on  the  fence  and  gate  post, 
watching  them  with  envious,  longing  glances.  It 
seemed  such  a  wonderful  struke  of  luck  to  be 
going  out  to  that  pretty  cottage,  living  in  the  lap 
of  plenty  —  all  their  lives  long  if  they  wished ; 
no  more  newspapers  to  sell,  no  more  jostling  in 
cru'el,  crowded  streets  with  tattered  garments  and 
empty  stomachs,  smelling  the  odors  of  good  things 
wafted  up  from  the  cellars  of  the  pastry  cooks  — 
but  smelling  only ;  sleeping  in  the  summer  time 
on  the  hard  seats  in  the  Park  gardens,  in  the 
winter  wherever  they  could  find  a  shelter  and  rag 


\ 


''S^' 


•MnBKik 


the  sentence 

[ate  boy,  this 
other  kind 
adopt  some 
hall  hare  the 
to  an  expres- 
eing  good,  no 
are  the  first 

a  quiet,  well- 
emselves  until 
eir  toilet  with 
Y  their  supply 
ty,  the  remain- 
and  gate  post, 
g  glances.  It 
)f  luck  to  be 
ring  in  the  lap 
they  wished ; 
tre  jostling  in 
garments  and 
of  good  things 
astry  cooks  — 
I  summer  time 
irdens,  in  the 
helter  and  rag 


NEW  HOMES. 


248 


to  cover  them.  They  were,  on  the  whole,  five 
dolorous  faces  that  watched  the  carriage  out  of 
sight,  and  then  instead  of  meditating  on  mischief, 
they  fell  to  remarking  on  their  folly  in  not  hav- 
ing conducted  themselves  more  wisely  when  they 
might,  one  of  them,  have  gone  in  happy  Billy's 
stead.  He  was  the  victim  of  fewer  clever  tricks 
than  any  one  of  them,  and  was  in  consequence 
looked  down  upon ;  so  apt  is  human  nature  to 
indulge  in  that  luxury,  no  one  is  quite  so  poor 
in  every  way  but  what  he  can  put  on  a  few  airs 
of  superiority  over  some  one  else. 

"  I  tell  you,  I'm  bound  not  to  go  back  again 
to  Cooper's  Alley,"  Patrick  said  defiantly.  "  I 
mean  to  stay  where  there's  plenty  to  eat,  and 
elbow-room  past  reckoning." 

He  started  for  the  house  to  get  the  catechism ; 
studying  that  was  a  branch  of  education  against 
which  he  had  set  his  face  with  steady  resolution, 
since  coming  to  the  Pines,  for  Patrick  did  not 
care  much  for  religion  of  any  kind.  Angela's 
catechism  and  religious  teaching  generally,  he 
had  treated  with  the  sublime  indifference  youths 
twice  his  age  frequently  affect.  Now  he  made 
up  his  mind  to  learn  anything  ho  was  required, 
and  to  this  end  he  began  in  great  earnest  to  study 
the  catechism.      Angela  was  astonished  at  the 


^JSiTminJI^^Si 


I 


m 


244 


NEW  HOMES. 


jiesBon  he  brought  her  that  evening,  thoroughly 
learned ;  a  few  days  more,  and  he  would  have 
the  entire  book  in  hia  head. 

"  Why,  Patsey,  I  had  no  idea  you  were  bo 
briffht,"  she  sail  admiringly. 

"  It's  good  I'm  going  to  be,  ma'am,"  he  said 
soberly.  ''  When  I  get  this  book  done  I'll  pitch 
into  anything  you  say." 

"But  you  must  learn  very  easily." 

"  No,  m'm ;  I  just  worked  hard ;  the  sweat 
poiued  oft'  me  part  of  the  time." 

'*  I  have  been  sadly  discouraged  about  you,  but 
you  have  done  so  well  to-day,  I  think  you  may 
make  somebody  yet ;  I  am  getting  proud  of  you 
already." 

Patrick  looked  tiiumphant,  but  Lindsay  just 
then  gave  such  a  contemptuous  sniff  liis  eyes 
began  to  flash,  and  for  fear  of  undoing  his  good 
day's  work  he  walked  out  of  the  house.  Lind- 
say was  constantly  on  the  lookout  for  some  latent 
mischief  in  them  all,,  but  especially  in  him ;  and 
when  one  looks  constantly  for  anything,  they  are 
pretty  sure  to  find  it. 

Tlie  following-  day  Angela  took  them  all  out  to 
Mrs.  Ingledorf's  to  see  her  new  family.  They 
found  ther"  'n  a  white  house  with  green  shutters, 
red  chi'iineys,  a  veranda  surrounded  with  green 


^ 


I;,  thoruughljr 
would  liave 

you  were  bo 

'am,"  he  said 
one  I'll  pitch 


;   the   sweat 

ibout  you,  but 
link  you  may 
proud  of  you 

Lindsay  just 
sniff  his  eyes 
loing  his  good 
house.  Lind> 
'or  some  latent 
r  in  him ;  and 
;hing,  they  are 

ihem  all  out  to 
Family.  They 
rreen  shutters, 
ed  with  green 


NRW   HOMES. 


245 


trellis-work,  and  hanging  from  every  window  that 
they  could  see,  were  white  lace  curtains  with  pink 
and  blue  bows  of  satin  ribbon  fastened  on. 
There  was  a  white  picket-fence  all  around  the  in- 
vlnsure,  a  garden  in  front  filled  with  old-fashioned 
flowers,  some  of  them,  like  the  carnation-pink, 
junip-up-Johnny.  cabbage  rose,  and  sweet  pea  and 
mignonette,  miking  the  air  luscious  with  their 
perfume ;  back  of  the  house  was  a  kitchen  garden 
in  the  primmest  order  imaginable;  a  little  way 
beyond  this  garden  was  a  deep,  quiet  stream 
where  the  speckled  trout  disported  themselves, 
seldom  deceived  by  the  fisherman's  fly,  for  Mr. 
Ingledorf  did  not  have  much  of  a  weakness  for 
trout,  a  bit  of  nicely-cooked  bacon,  in  his  estima- 
tion, being  much  better  eating  than  the  finest 
trout  in  his  preserve.  Over  this  stream  was 
built  the  milk  room,  which,  like  everything  else 
about  the  premises,  was  as  beautifully  clean  as  if 
it  had  just  been  transported  from  that  famous 
old  city  in  Holland,  where  they  scrub  the  very 
streets. 

Maimie  and  Billy  were  sitting  on  the  veranda, 
the  foimer  with  a  very  clean,  home-made  doll  in 
her  lap,  the  latter  gazing  longingly  at  a  new  jack- 
knife,  while  he  was  trying  to  study  the  lesson  set 
for  him.     Good  and  quiet  as  he  was,  Billy  Kay 


'nauiiiffiWg^.-^;^,^,..  1 1, 


I      L..  j|am,.wi 


^ 


'. -^..,  ..-«fe- 


'P^Wf'- 


M6 


NEW    HOMES. 


I 


liii 


ir    I' 


would  have  enjoyjnl  lu'liifj  oiitHido  Hoiricwln'io, 
whore  he  coiihl  whittle,  than  on  that  HiiotltmH 
vcrantla  witli  wonicnkind  and  rag  haliit-rt  ;  1><>- 
sidoH,  hu  waH  very  nnu'ii  arthanied  to  ha  raiight 
in  thu  daytime  in  Huch  (company.  Mth.  Inglcdorf 
wiw  Hitting  betwoen  them,  her  face  beaming  with 
maternal  natiflfaction  ;  to  have  two  Hueh  nice 
children  ready  made  to  h«!r  hand  was  enough  to 
fill  any  empty,  childless  heart  with  rapture,  ho 
she  de(;ided. 

Angela's  face  caught  the  reflection  of  supreme 
content  on  Mrs.  Ingledorf's  countenance,  hut  the 
five  discontented  youths  who  followed  her  looked 
anything  but  satisfied.  Mainiie  and  Billy  were 
dispatched  to  the  parlor  for  chairs,  and  wt-re  then 
commanded  to  follow  Mrs.  Ingledorf  Homewhere 
to  the  outlying  regions,  whence  they  soon  re- 
turned, bearing  a  kettle  of  delicious  milk  that  in 
any  of  oui*  cities  would  be  sold  for  the  best  of 
cream,  and  a  loaf  of  frosted  cake.  Mrs.  Ingle- 
dorf disappeared  again,  and  soon  returned  with 
a  tray  and  tumblers,  when  she  pressed  her  visitors 
to  help  themselves,  an  invitation  they  responded 
to  so  heartily,  that  on  the  following  fnorning 
they  came  downstairs  with  a  very  depressed  view 
of  the  world  in  general. 

Angela  and  Mrs.  Ingledorf  fell  to  planning 


^ 


..M-gTWir.' 


■  I..*'*  11 


'""■ff'l'"' 


lie    HoiMcwln'rp, 

timt     HlXltU-HH 

l  to  1)0  cuiight 
Mi-H.  IngU'dorf 

e  iM'umiiJg  with 

two  HUC'h  nice 
was  enough  to 

fith  rapture,  ho 

tion  of  Hupri-nio 
ti'uauce,  hut  the 
>\veil  her  looked 

and  Billy  were 
■H,  ami  were  then 

ilorf  Honiewhero 

0  they  soon  re- 
louH  milk  that  in 

for  the  best  of 
ke.  Mrs.  Tngle- 
m  returned  with 
eased  her  visitors 

1  they  responded 
[lowing  fnorning 
y  depressed  view 

fell  to  planning 


NKW    lloMKfl. 


247 


ftlwnt  Mainiie's  ni(»thor,  who  would,  if  all  went 
well,  Iw  on  hand  in  the  eourse  (»f  a  f«w  days, 
while  the  young  folks  had  their  own  to|)ics  <|uile 
as  interesting  as  what  their  seniors  were  diseuss- 
ing,  while  they  strolletl  arouiul  tlie  jjreuiises  to 
examine  more  minutely  tiie  elegant  liome  their 
two  companions  had  dropped  into,  and  then  went 
off  for  a  ehat  w'th  Mark,  who  was  sitting  in  the 
carriage  hy  the  .,ate. 

Hilly  had  all  Ids  life  long  been  an  indivi«lual 
of  extremely  small  importance  among  his  ae- 
(piaintanees,  and  to  take  these  from  one  spot  of 
interest  to  another,  i)ointing  out  our  flowers  and 
pumpkins,  and  pigs  and  fowls,  lifted  him  sud- 
denly in  his  own  eyes  almost  into  a  hero,  while 
his  companions  felt  too  depressed  by  what  they 
had  themselves  lost  to  atti'mpt  taking  him  down^ 
a  bit.  They  bade  adieu  at  last  to  Mrs.  Ingledorf ' 
and  her  happy  family,  their  own  faces  so  wistful 
and  melancholy  she  felt  like  adopting  then>  all 
on  the  spot. 

On  their  way  home  Patrick  inquired  very  par- 
ticularly if  there  were  any  more  such  women  as 
Mrs.  Ingledorf  in  that  section  of  the  country,  but 
Angela,  advised  beforehand  by  Lindsay,  did  not 
give  very  satisfactory  replies  ;  they  wished  to  see 
first  steady  improvement  in  his  general  conduct 


!  , 


w^H"" 


218 


NRW   HOMES. 


hoforc  th»>y  tiiriiitd  liltn  adrift.  It  was  aHtnniHh- 
ill;;  what  will  j)ow«'r  ho  poHHCHscd.  Fntin  tho 
inoiiit'iit  wIk'Ii  Iu)  found  that,  to  a  ^ruat  uxtunt,  ho 
held  in  hin  own  handH  hiH  futiiru  dcHtiny,  tho 
iiiiprovcnu'Ut  was  ainazi'.ig. 

To  j;o  back  to  tlio  !  tarvcd,  filthy  lif«<  of  tho 
city  wan  a  contingency  ho  could  not  dwell  upon 
witii  (^altnncHH  ;  utt  the  time  drew  near  when  ho 
expected  the  ooininand  wouM  he  jjiven  for  him 
to  depart,  the  dumb  ]>leadin^  in  IiIh  faco  was 
adinost  more  than  Angela  could  bear.  She  con- 
trolled, however,  her  dcHire  to  tidl  him  that  ho 
was  to  stay,  Hineo  she  had  rn  almost  childish  do- 
termination  that  ho  should  not  only  take  away 
with  him  tho  (tontents  of  tho  cat(>chism,  but  a 
good  deal  moro  'didactic  literature;  Lin  Isay 
assured  her  if  onco  ho  knew  he  was  to  have  a 
phice,  there  would  be  an  cmd  to  such  effort.  The 
very  fact  that  he  preferred  the  innocent  country 
life  encouraged  Angela's  belief  that  he  possessed 
the  elements  of  a  noble  character,  if  it  were  only 
subjected  to  proper  nurturing  influences. 


was  iwtoniMh- 
Kntiii  tho 
cat  extent,  he 
)  (h'Htiiiy,   tho 

\y  lift!  of  tho 
jt  ilwoll  upon 
near  when  ho 
riven  for  him 

hiH  face  was 
far.  She  con- 
1  him  that  he 
)st  chihlish  do- 
nly  take  away 
teehism,  hut  a 
ure  ;  Lin  Isay 
was  to  have  a 
uh  effort.  The 
noeent  country 
at  he  possessed 

if  it  were  only 
ucnctH. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

TUB    NKW    DAVID   (JllANT. 

Fob  the  next  fow  weeks  AnRfla  was  very  busy 
indeed.  Mrs.  luKle.lorf  helped  her,  however 
L,  efteetually  than  any  one.  She  was  so  loud 
:,  her  praises  of  the  two  ehildrenwluehAn^ 
had  brought  her,  that  other  faru.ers  and  t  . 
wives  in  her  vieinity  were  induced  to  n.ake  t  ud 
:  Ihem.  Besides,  Angela  had  such  seductive 
ways  of  coaxing  the  plain  farmer  folk  -  hci 
riners,  that   by  instinct  more    tban    -^^ 

were  so  courtly,  had  "--  -«-7'"  ^^^o  ^d 
own  actual  need  in  the  nmtter.     In  her  lo.nds 
Imet  with   so  many   families  that,  by  shght 

!^.de„ial,  could  adopt  a  waif  from  the  ^um  , 
and  make  its  life  a  gladness,  and  possibly  a  sue- 
L  ,  that  she  was  beginning  to  indulge  the  dream 
Z  it  might  be.wiso  to  import  a  fresh  supply  of 

"^' Mo"'  the  seven  were  settled  now  in  homes  of 

249 


i 


250 


THE  NEW  DAVID  GEANT. 


their  own,  save  Patrick  Canty.     He  had  got  his 
head  so  full  of  catechism  and  kindred  literature, 
that  he  complained  to  Mark  his  hat  was  getting 
too  small.     He  attributed  the  enlargement  of  his 
head  to  this  alone,  forgetting  that  good  solid 
tissue  had  been  gradually  forming  on  all  his  ill- 
clad  bones,  his  head  included.     He  felt  it  very 
keenly  that  his  efforts  at  reformation  had  received 
such  scant  recognition.     It  was  certainly  a  rather 
bitter  discipline,  seeing  all  the  other  six  going 
singly,  or  in  pairs,  to  comfortable  farmsteads, 
and  entering  at  once  and  heartily  into  the  affairs 
of  their  respective  ownei-s,  claiming  proprietor- 
ship in  quadruped  and  biped,  garden  and  orchard, 
while  nothing  apparently  was  being  done  for  him, 
and  nothing  reipained  but  a  solitary  journey  city- 
wards at  the  end  of  another  fortnight,  for  he  had 
kept  faithful  reckoning  of  the  weeks. 

One  evening  he  went  down  to  the  edge  of  the 
pine  wood,  and  stood  leaning  against  the  fence 
that  shut  it  off  from  the  meadow  land.  He 
moodily  watched  the  sunset  fading  gradually 
from  the  far  heavens,  no  part  of  it  concealed 
from  his  sight  by  brick  and  mortar,  when  Angela 
joined  him.  He  had  been  going  very  carefully 
ovor  the  doings  of  the  past  few  weeks,  and  had 
come  to  the  decision  that  not  one  oi  them  had 


ANT. 

He  had  got  his 
idred  literature, 
hat  was  getting 
largemeiit  of  his 
that  good  solid 
ng  on  all  his  ill- 
He  felt  it  very 
tion  had  received 
ertainly  a  rather 
other  six  going 
;able  farmsteads, 
y  into  the  affairs 
niing  proprietor- 
rden  and  orchard, 
ing  done  for  him, 
tary  journey  city- 
knight,  for  he  had 
^eeks. 

;o  the  edge  of  the 
against  the  fence 
jadow  land.  He 
fading  gradually 
t  of  it  concealed 
rtar,  when  Angola 
ing  very  carefully 
w  weeks,  and  had 
one  ot  them  had 


THK  NEW  DAVID  GRANT. 


251 


been  better  behaved  than  himself.  He  had  looked 
down  the  long  strip  of  highway  that  led  out  to- 
wards the  great  world  which  included  also  Cooper's 
Alley,  and  wondered  why  all  his  efforts  had  been 
unavailing,  and  feeling  in  prospect  of  passing 
over  that  road  shortly  for  the  last  time,  something 
as  a  condemned  criminal  might,  as  he  surveyed 
the  path  leading  gallows-ward.  The  effect  these 
musings  was  having  on  him  was  to  turn  his  natu- 
rally generous  nature  sour.  Angela  laid  her  soft 
white  hand  on  the  very  grimy  one  that  was  idly 
A  scraping  the  flakes  of  whitewash  off  tl ';  weather- 

beaten  fence. 

"  What  is  it,  Patsey  ?  you  look  very  sober  to- 
night." 

*•  Wouldn't  any  one  look  sober  if  they  had  to 
go  where  I'm  going  in  a  few  days  ?  I'd  most  as 
soon  die,  and  be  buried  here  in  the  pine  wood, 
where  the  birds  could  sing  over  me,  and  the  sun 
and  stars  get  a  chance  to  look  down  on  my  clean 
grave." 

There  was  a  sound  of  tears  in  his  voice,  al- 
though the  eyes  looked  steadily  down  the  road. 

♦•You  need  never  go  back  unless  you  wish." 

"  Lucy  told  me  to-day  all  the  places  was  taken ; 
I  won't  stay  here  much  longer  a  burden  on  you. 
I'd  rather  sell  newspaperb  than  sponge." 


"■■«B".yMi' "I'*- 


TT 


?3 
I 


■'H»f.its«.:-:"*»», 


\ 


252 


THE  KEW   DAVID  ORAKT. 


"  But  if  all  the  places  are  not  taken  up  I  Lucy 
does  not  know  everything." 

He  looked  at  her  almost  greedily.  There  was 
such  longing  in  the  expresf.ion  of  his  face. 

"  I've  tried  harder'n  any  of  them,  but  nobody 
seemed  to  care  what  became  of  me." 

The  soft  hand  clasped  the  grimy  one  more 
tenderly. 

"  I  care  a  great  deal  about  what  becomes  of 
you,  Patsey." 

"  I  guess  nobody  else  does,  then." 

"  Yes,  dear ;  there  is  One  who  loves  you  far  bet- 
ter than  I  am  able  to  —  the  One  who  died  for  you." 

"But  you  cared  more  for  the  others  thar  you 
did  for  me,  even  that  Billy  Kay.  I  didn't 
think  you'd  like  Kim  better'n  me." 

There  was  a  world  of  reproach,  and  even 
shame  in  the  way  he  spoke;  as  if  Billy  Kay 
being  preferred  before  him  was  an  exceedingly 
humiliating  experience. 

"  Patspy,  what  will  you  say  if  I  tell  you  I  have 

tried  harder  to  do  well  for  you  than  any  of  the 

others ;  that  I  have  got  you  the  best  place  of  all  ?  " 

"  I'd  say  I  coidd  most  die  for  you." 

There  was  a  passion  of  deep  boy  love  in  his 

eager,  thrilling  voice. 

"There  are   some  conditions  you' must  first 


■'*:;■' 


ipSK 


ten  up !  Lucy 

r.     There  was 

face, 
tt,  but  nobody 

my  one  more 

at  becomes  of 


ras  you  far  bet- 
)  died  for  you." 
thera  thar  you 
Aj.      I   didn't 

ich,  and  even 
I  if  Billy  Kay 
an  exceedingly 

tell  you  I  have 

ban  any  of  the 

itpkceofall?" 

ou. 

boy  love  in  his 

you'  must  first 


THK  NEW  DAVID  GRANT. 


258 


comply  with,  before  you  can  get  into  this  good 
home." 

He  turned  to  her  eagerly,  the  tears  flashing 
now  in  the  deep  brown  eyes,  while  he  seemed  to 
forget  a  boy's  natural  shame  to  be  seen  weeping. 

"  What  are  the  conditions  ?  " 

"You  must  t!ike  the  gentleman's  name  who 
adopts  you." 

"What's  the  difference  about  a  name?"  said 
Patrick,  hesitating  a  moment  only. 

"  Then  it  is  settled  you  are  to  stay.  And  now, 
Patsey,  what  will  you  think  when  I  tell  you  I 
have  known  about  this  for  a  good  while ;  can  you 
think  why  I  did  not  tell  you?  " 

"Perhaps  you  wanted  me  to  learn  all  the 
catechism,  and  to  see  if  I  could  be  good  if  I 
tried." 

"Those  vren  my  principal  reasons.  All  the 
time  that  you  were  thinking  so  hard  of  me,  and 
fancying  that  I  was  not  treating  you  quite  fairly, 
I  was  planning  the  very  best  for  you  that  I  knew ; 
now  that  is  the  way  God  does  with  us  sometimes ; 
probably  it  will  be  your  experience  when  you  get 
to  be  a  Christian,  and  O,  Patsey  I  you  must  be 
one  before  very  long.  I  believe  you  might  be 
one  to-night  if  you  were  in  real  earnest  about  it." 

"  Would  it  make  much  difference  in  me  ?  " 


I 


■'.:-lv 


l^ 


254 


THE  NEW  DAVID  GEANT. 


"  Yes ;  all  the  difference  there  is  between  light 
aud  darkness." 

"  Would  you  tell  nie  just  how  to  ask  for  it  ?  " 

Angela  knelt  with  him  there  in  the  gloaming, 
the  somber  pines  murmuring  their  melahcholy 
whisperings  above '  them.  She  talked  to  God 
directly  of  the  young  soul  seeking  knowledge 
of  him. 

*'  Can  I  pray  just  when  I  want  to,  or  is  it  only 
proper  to  come  to  God  night  and  morning  ?  "  he 
asked,  as  they  walk<3d  along  the  dewy  pathway 
to  the  house. 

"  We  are  told  to  pray  without  ceasing ;  if  we 
hare  cares  and  worries  you  cannot  think  what  a 
comfort  it  is  to  pray." 

He  merely  nodded  his  head  in  reply. 

"Say,  if  the  fellows  found  it  out  and  made 
fun  of  me,  would  it  do  to  knock  them  down?" 

"  Most  assuredly  not.  One  has  to  fight  them- 
selves and  the  Devil,  aud  leave  others  alone  in 
that  way." 

"  I  guess  it's  going  to  be  a  pretty  tough  job  — 
worse  a  good  deal  than  the  catechism." 

'*  Usually,  everything  worth  a  good  deal  is  hard 
to  get.  This  is  woi-th  more  than  everything  in 
this  world,  no  matter  how  bright  it  mn^  he." 

"  I'm  glad  a  fellow  can  pray  all  he  wants ;  if 


\ 


4- 


Int. 


THE  NEW  DAVID  GRANT. 


266 


between  light 

ask  for  it?" 

the  gloaming, 

eir  melatacholy 

talked   to  God 

ung  knowledge 

to,  or  is  it  only 

morning  ?  "  he 

»  dewy  pathway 

t  ceasing ;  if  we 
ot  think  what  a 

I  reply. 

it  out  and  made 
:  them  down?" 
las  to  fight  them- 
)  others  alone  in 

etty  tough  job  — 

ihism." 

good  deal  is  hard 

an  everything  in 

b  it  mn^   i»e." 

'  all  he  wants ;  if 


it  wa'n't  for  that  the  likes  of  me  mightn't  try. 
You  see  I've  prayed  before  this.  I  did  for  a 
home  and  that  was  answered,  though  I  didn't 
much  think  it  would  do  any  good." 

"Ah I  that  is  where  people  make  mistakes; 
they  pray  and  do  not  expect  their  prayers  to  be 
answered.  There  is  something  called  faith  that 
we  must  have.  Now  if  I  told  you  I  should  give 
you  something  to-morrow,  or  take  you  to  some 
place,  you  would  have  faith  in  me  that  I  would 
keep  my  word ;  now  God  wants  you  to  have  just 
tl  at  kind  of  faith  in  him ;  besides,  nothing  ever 
happens .  to  him  as  it  might  to  me  to  prevent  the 
fulfillment  of  the  promises.  He  is  the  only  one 
who  is  sure  to  keep  his  word." 

"Yes;  I  understand.  Say,  isn't  He  the  very 
best  friend  one  can  have  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  I  tAi  going  upstairs  now  to  think  it  all  over, 
and  I'll  ask  for  that  with  all  my  might.  Good- 
night." 

Angela  stooped  and  kissed  the  bright  eager 
face.  The  kiss  was  returned,  coming  apparently 
straight  from  the  generous  child  heart. 

Patrick  was  the  first  one  astir  in  the  house  the 
following  morning.  Lindsay  scolded  him  for  be- 
ing around  in  the  way  w>  early,  but  be  looked  at 


/. 


I 


:'    ■  i... .  :: 


iiTiTwilTir.irjTUfniiii 


256 


THE  NEW  DAVl      GRANT. 


*Wif' 


her  80  gently  that,  in  her  surprise,  she  burst  out, 
"  Bless  me  I  what's  happened  to  the  boy  ?  " 

"  I  believe  I've  been  converted,"  was  the  start- 
ling reply.     "  Have  you  ever  been  ?  " 

"  What  a  question  1  and  me  a  church  member 
long  before  you  was  born." 

*'  Miss  Angela  says  there  is  folks  as  deceives 
theirselves,"  (^ 

"  You'd  better  be  careful  you  are  not  one  of 
them,  then." 

Lindsay  set  the  dishes  on  the  table  with  a 
crash  that  made  Patrick  hastily  decide  it  would 
be  as  safe,  and  probably  a  judicious  move  on  his 
part,  to  go  out  of  doors  and  wait  until  a  suitable 
opportunity  presenteJ  itself  of  telling  Angela 
how  he  had  sat  up  and  prayed  a  good  part  of 
the  time  until  the  clock  struck  twelve,  for  strange 
to  say,  the  longer  and  more  earnestly  he  prayed, 
the  more  anxious  he  became  to  get  a  change  of 
heart,  for  this  really  was  the  burden  of  his  prayer. 
He  was  not  used  to  solitary  vigils,  and  sleep  natu- 
rally overcame  him,  but  when  he  wakened  in  the 
morning  there  had  come  such  strange  peace  into 
his  heart  he  sprang  out  of  bed,  and  kneeling  in 
the  soft  light  of  the  early  morning  he  thanked 
God  for  having  become  his  master. 

The  following  day  Angela  took  him  to  his  new 


w  / 


THE  NEW  DAVID  GRANT. 


2f>7 


home ;  it  was  some  miles  away,  in  a  university 
town,  where  there  was  every  advantage  for  an 
ambitious  lad  to  get  a  first-class  education.     The 
couple  who  had  consented  to  adopt  him  were  old 
friends  of  Angela's  father's.     Mr.  Grant  and  he 
had  been  at  college  in  the  Old  World  together, 
and  the  acquaintance  begun  there  had  ripened 
into  a  friendship  terminating  only  at  the  death 
of  the  latter.     He  waa  professor  of  mathematics 
in  the  University,  and  was  a  raai  of  more  than 
average  grasp  of  intellect,  but  as  simple  in  his 
manner  and  tastes  as  a  child.     His  own  boys  had 
proved  the  wisdom  of  his  peodiar  ideas  as  to  the 
wise  training  of  youth,  every  one  of  them  thus 
far  bidding  fair  to  make  their  lives  not  only  a 
success  for  themselves,  but  a  blessing  to  others. 
These  were  now  all  working  for  themselves,  while 
their  parent*  were  still  young  enough  to  take  the 
responsibility  of    helping  some   other  person's 
child  along  the  difficult  path  of  youth. 

The  success  that  had  crowned  their  efforts  in 
the  up-bringing  of  their  own  children,  made  An- 
gela very  eager  to  have  them  take  Patrick,  for 
she  had  fully  made  up  her  mind  that,  taken  all 
in  all,  he  was  her  choicest  find  among  the  slums, 
not  even  excepting  her  own  Mark. 


VVA 


% 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


ANOTHEU   JOURNEY   OF  MERCY. 

Maimie's  mother  came,  and  the  country  air 
and  fare  proved^  so  beneficial,  she  began  to  hope 
that  the  lease  of  life  had  been  indefinitely  ex- 
tended. A  very  cheering  hope,  especially  as  her 
acquaintances  had  freely  volunteered  the  infor- 
mation that  she  was  only  going  away  to  die. 
She  was  handy  with  the  needle,  although  she  had 
never  learned  a  seamstress's  trade,  so  that  the 
i^mers'  wives  in  the  neighborhood  kept  her  well 
supplied  with  work,  and  as  she  preferred  to  get 
her  pay  in  tl'>u30  delicious  products  of  the  farm 
which  they  appeared  to  hold  so  cheaply,  she  began 
to  long  for  the  society  of  her  child  more  than  ever. 

Mrs.  Ingledorf  regretfully  consented  to  part 
with  Maimie,  while  Angela,  coming  to  the  rescue, 
promised  to  go  to  the  city,  in  order  to  get  her  the 
prettiest  child  connected  with  the  mission.  And 
so,  to  Lindsay's  sorrow,  Angela  once  more  started 

258 


.■<.y 


ma^aamSim 


ERCT. 


le  country  air 
began  to  hope 
ndefinitely  ex- 
pecially  as  her 
!red  the  infor- 
away  to  die. 
;hougli  she  had 
le,  so  that  the 
1  kept  her  well 
referred  to  get 
ts  of  the  farm 
aply,  she  began 
more  than  ever, 
isented  to  part 
g  to  the  rescue, 
r  to  get  her  the 
mission.  And 
ice  more  started 


ANOTHER  JOURS  BY  OF  MKRCY. 


259 


on  her  mission   of  help.      Lindsay  was    pretty 
certain  that  ni.  re  than  one  child  woidd  bo  brought 
h    k,  and  wondered  what  strange  misfortune  had 
overtaken  their  house,  that  such  doings  should 
be  carried  on  there.     Witli  her  wealth  and  posi- 
tion, Angela  might  be  taking  her  place  with  the 
best   in    that  locality,    instead   of    scouring   the 
country  back  and  forth,  with  a  crowd  of  naked 
and  starving  children  trailing  behind   her.      It 
was  a  most  bitter  discipline  for  poor  Lindsay, 
and  she  used  to  slip  out   of   church   at  Lonjr 
hurst  on  Sunday  mornings,  scarce  looking  to  '' 
right  or  left,  for  she  was  keen  enough  to  obsc-ve 
what.  Angela  was  too  indifferent  to  notice  —  i'^at 
the  strange  doings  at  the  Pines  were  subjeoi. 
garcasm  with  the  Longhurst  people. 

Angela  did  return  not  only  with  a  blue-eyed, 
flaxen-haired  little  princess  of  a  girl,  snatched 
from  the  horror  and  degradation  of  a  girlhood 
amid  the  slums,  but  with  a  boy  and  girl  additional. 
And  to  appease  Lindsay,  she  assui-ed  her  that,  if 
she  had  herself  seen  the  cellar  where  they  man- 
aged to  exist,  she  would  have  rescued  them  too. 
Lindsay  gave  a  groan,  but  did  not  give  further 
expression  to  her  outraged  sensibilities. 

Mrs.  Ingledorf  went   into    raptures  over  her 
acquisition,  and  the  way  that  fairy-like  child  was 


"'^«SftS?H9»"C'^Hlte.i¥  ■  v»'.;i'-s.*s 


IT 


i^V\'-'f**.'':VV'; 


_iJ, L.t^mmmmi 


200 


ANOTHER  .rOUUNKY  OF   MEIICY. 


fi'd  to  baniHh  the  Hturveil  look,  wiw  exiroinoly 
'  satiHfactory  to  the  little  creature.  To  have  all 
the  milk  nhe  could  drink,  and  white  l)rca<l,  with 
l>«'ef  and  fowl  and  ve^ctabh-H,  and  all  the  fruits 
and  good  thingH  generally  that  are  found  in  the 
Btoreroonjs  of  a  wealthy  farndiouHe,  was  a  revela- 
tion to  her.  She  was  not  only  beautiful  so  far 
as  face  and  form  went,  but  had  a  loving  nature, 
and  before  Mrs.  lugledorf  knew  it,  she  was 
answering  with  gnsat  satisfaction  to  the  name  of 
mother,  which  little  Flossie  began  to  speak  in- 
stinctively. There  was  an  additional  charm 
about  !ier  which  Maimio  lacked,  since  she  had  no 
knowledge  whatever  of  parents  or  relatives ;  she 
had  lived  as  long  as  she  could  remember  with  an 
old  woman  who  would  not  give  any  satisfaction 
respecting  her  orighi. 

It  was  some  plight  consolation  to  Lindsay  when 
she  saw  the  Ingledorfs,  on  the  Sabbath  morning, 
drive  to  the  church  door  with  their  handsome 
team,  and  hand  out  the  two  well-dressed  children. 
Angela's  satisfaction  was  equally  great,  but 
it  sprang  from  a  different  impulse. 

Ani-ela  began  to  find  her  social  claims  consid- 
erably extended  after  this.  Her  boys  and  girls, 
as  well  as  the  friends  who  had  adopted  them, 
wished  to  be  visited  very  often,  for  each  of  them 


-ilUMii' 


*>HMl'» 


mf<*[ 


ANOTllKU  .lOUnNKY  OK  MKIICY. 


261 


Bcciiu'd  lis  anxious  to  revolt  piof^jn'HH  to  Iht  um 
if  hIu!  IiikI  Ikm'Ii  a  Maid  ailvist-r  of  tifty.  A  f«*w 
ciicumstauffHownindtliat  pained  luT,  for  nt'itlit'i- 
tluu-hiKlrcn  nor  the  jH-oplo  who  liad  nn-ivcd  tlitni 
intotli«'ir  Iiouu'h  wcrt-  <iiiit<'  lu-rffct,  iMit  aftor  talk- 
in}f  tho  diflicultit'H  over  with  tlits  atHicti-d  partifH 
»ht'  generally  nia«l«  nuitterH  Hniootli.  She  had  tho 
liappy  faeulty,  unfortunately  denied  to  moHt  of 
us,  of  easily  finding  tho  key  to  peoplu's  hearts 
and  convietionH. 

A  half-hour  spent  with  a  toil-worn  and  rough- 
ened  l)air,  talking    over  tho  inevitahlo  unpleas- 
antness   that   even    parents   and    children   know 
Boniething    about,  her  voieo   swijetly   niodnlat»'d, 
her  manners  as  deferential  and  eourtly  as  if  slio 
were  eonversing  with  the  highest  in  tho  land,  and 
tho    graeious,   kindly    pre8«.'n(Hi   which    even    the 
dumb  animals  seemed  to  eomi)rehend,  smoothed 
away  little  difficulties  wonderfully,  and  when  she 
rose    to  leave,  the   peojde    generally  took    fresh 
determination  to  do  their  duty  well  by  the  charge 
she  had  committed  to  thom.      Neither  were  tlw^y 
jealous  of  the  groat  pleasure  evinced  by  the  chil- 
dren at  her  appearance.     There  was  something 
about  her  that  disarmed  jealousy  ;  possibly  it  was 
because  there  was  so  little  in  her  own  conipositiou  ; 
like  generally  begets  like. 


-'-i^iiMMHMflNiiMi 


ir 


202 


ANOTITRR  .lornKRY  OF  MEUCY. 


8ho  wiiH  (  -pocially  ^nitifUul  when  nHHuritd  of 
^u>ir  HiictH'HH  at  hv.IuhA.  Tiuty  houd  diHt-uvvrt'd 
thurt!  wuH  no  Itt-ttur  wiiy  to  gtiin  hur  appi-ovul  than 
to  Itriii^  a  good  acoouiit  of  thi'iiiMi'lveH  with  regard 
to  thtui-  HtiidioH :  for  thu  brigiitt'Ht  odch  hIio  iiad 
not  only  encouraging  HuiileH,  but  more  tangible 
in'uoin  of  bur  appruuiatiuu  of  tbuir  ufforts  to  pleuHo 
her. 

81iu  did  not  receive  any  Hpocial  consolation 
beeauHu  of  her  work  from  LonghurHt  Hoeiety ;  it 
waH  Mo  critiuiscd,  and  the  surpriHo  at  the  oddneHB 
of  her  taHto  ho  outspoken,  HJie  uaually  wended 
her  way  homo  from  a  round  of  calls,  in  a  very 
depressed  state.  Wardell  and  his  wife  were 
almost  the  only  ones  among  her  old  acquaintances 
who  encouraged  her,  and  to  them  she  used  to  go 
for  sympathy  whon  most  discouraged.  Donald 
too  seemed  to  think  it  might  be  better  superin- 
tending the  wise  development  of  a  score  or  so 
of  youths,  than  to  be  devoting  all  her  powers  of 
brain,  time  and  money  for  her  own  furtherance ; 
this  from  him  was  just  the  encouragement  needed. 

The  hint  let  fall  that  she  might  increase  the 
number  of  her  beneficiaries  had  a  stimulating 
effect.  Strange  to  say,  she  saw  very  little  of  him 
on  this  visit  of  his.  He  seldom  came  to  the  Pines 
and,  for  some  reason  or  other,  she  as  seldom  went 


▲MOTHKB  JUUUNEY  OF  MKBCY.  268 

to  tliu  WanUOlH*  (tottago  ;  nvitlivr  aid  nhu  nioct  Ii 


nil 


miproviil  tliiui 

[■H  with  regard 

JoiicH  hIio  had 

noro  tangible 

I'urtH  to  plt'OHO 

1   coiiHohition 

rst  Hoeiety ;  it 

at  the  oddneHS 

iiially   wondud 

in  a  very 

Ills    wife    were 

acquaintances 

she  used  to  go 

aged.     Donald 

better  superin- 

a  score  or  so 

her  powers  of 

rn  furtherance ; 

gement  needed. 

it  increase  the 
a  stimulating 

ry  little  of  liim 

me  to  the  Pines 

lis  seldom  went 


at  any  stM-ial  gatherings  in  the  town.  Although, 
OH  a  Htudcnt,  he  hud  taken  a  higiier  poHition  at 
college  than  any  young  man  belonging  to  Long- 
liiii-Ht  had  ever  done,  yet  he  was  not  any  more 
noticetl  by  the  leiulers  in  s(MMety  there  than  if  he 
HimI  been  a  farm  servant.  They  held  tenaciously 
to  their  rights,  and  since  they  hud  no  other  special 
gifts  of  which  to  be  vain,  save  wealth  and  social 
position,  it  was  very  judicious  on  their  part  to 
make  much  of  their  limited  belongings. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  more  ignoble  the 
nature  the  more  * '  ress  is  laid  on  the  a(!ci<lent  of 
birth  and  the  things  generally  that  are  patent 
to  the  dullest  intellect. 

Donald's  namohail  been  mentioned  in  Angela's 
presence  at  an  occasional  tea  party,  but  spoken 
with  an  air  of  patronizing  contempt  very  provok- 
ing to  her. 

One  evening^t  u  gathering  at  Mrs.  Mordaunt's, 
Joshua  Moxton,  a  leading  merchant  in  the  place, 
said  in  a  very  pompous  manner,  "  Ah  1  I  believe 
that  boy  of  Wardell's  has  done  very  well  at  college ; 
let  me  see,  don't  his  father  work  for  you.  Miss 
Marlowe?" 

Angela  assented  to  his  remark  by  a  frigid 
inclination  of  the  head,  while  she  assured  herself 


264 


ANOTHER  JOURNEy  OP  MERCY. 


that  Donald  did  not  need  her  defense,  a;id  that 
Longhurst  was  a  very  insignificant  portion  of  the 
earth,  any  way.  Even  if  he  did  become  great 
enough  one  day  to  make  famous,  because  he 
had  been  born  there,  the  place  that  held  him  so 
cheaply,  these  people  so  out  of  touch  wivh  the 
great  world's  thought,  would  be  in  blissful  igno- 
rance of  the  fact,  and  it  would  be  useless  for  her 
to  assure  them  such  a  day  was  easily  within  the 
possibilities. 

Angela,  in  obedience  to  Lindsay's  urgent  de- 
sire, consented  to  receive  and  dispense  hospitali- 
ties with  Longhurst  gentry,  for  Lindsay  insisted 
this  was  a  part  of  her  duty  in  life,  as  much  as 
feeding  half-starved  children,  and  assisting  them 
to  better  things,  but  she  resolved  to  keep  herself 
as  far  as  possible  uninfluenced  by  their  peculiar 
views  of  worldly  affairs,  or,  to  speak  plainly, 
by  their  selfishness.  She  used  to  speculate  a 
good  deal  about  them,  wondering  if  there  was 
a  solitary  individual  who  practiced  self-denial 
in  a  small  way  even  to  help  others  outside 
their  own  family  circle  save  at  the  grand  Christ- 
mas exchange.  It  is  true  they  took  pride  in 
their  several  churches,  got  as  hanclso'ue  edifices 
as  was  convenient,  without  ■U)o  great  sairifice  of 
money,  and  secured  as  good  pastoral  supply  as 


Jise,  a;id  that 
lortion  of  the 
become  great 
because  he 
held  him  so 
uch  with  the 
blissful  igno- 
beless  for  her 
Py  within  the 

's  urgent  de- 
nse hospitali- 
idsay  insisted 
[,  as  much  as 
assisting  them 
keep  herself 
their  peculiar 
peak  plainly, 
'  speculate   a 
if  there  was 
d   self-denial 
;her8  outside 
?iand  Christ- 
Jok  pride   in 
ioMe  edifices 
t  sairiflce  of 
al  supply  as 


ANOTHER  JOURNEY  OF  MERCY. 


265 


possible.  They  had  Sunday  schools  and  prayer 
meetings,  but,  since  these  were  a  necessity  in 
order  to  keep  respectably  abreast  with  the  times, 
it  is  doubtful  if  there  was  any  special  virtue  in 
the  interest  a  portion  of  the  various  congregations 
took  in  them.  In  each  church  in  Longhurst 
there  were  a  few  elect  souls,  worthy),  I  believe, 
one  day  to  walk  with  Him  in  white,  whom  they 
served  now  with  a  faithfulness  and  zeal  particu- 
larly tiresome  to  their  less  spiritual  brothers  and 
sisters,  who  often  wearied  of  their  close  appeals, 
and  earnest  prayers.  The  donations  of  tho 
various  churches  to  the  distant  lands  where 
men  and  women  are  starving  both  soul  and  body 
for  want  of  a  pure  religion,  would  little  more 
than  pay  the  express  charges  to  get  their  gifts  to 
those  benighted  regions.  Angela,  it  must  be 
confessed,  was  no  better  in  this  respect  than  her 
neighbors  —  the  heathen  were  a  very  obscure  idea 
to  her,  and  the  missionary  appeals  to  which  she 
had  listen'"'  had  been  himiorous  rather  than 
tragic,  as  the  case  required. 

She  had  taken  hold  of  the  work  that  had  first 
appealed  to  her,  and  did  that  work  in  the  spirit 
merely  of  an  average  Christian,  recognizing  the 
claims  God  had  on  her,  together  with  every  con- 
verted  person,  to  help  the  sufiPering  and  do  to 


ANOTHER  JOURNEY  OF  MERCY. 


V.  r. 


others,  in  a  measure,  at  least  as  she  would  be  done 
by.  This  appeared  a  part  of  her  duty,  as  much 
as  it  was  for  the  martyrs,  with  their  lives,  to  wit- 
ness for  principle  and  God. 

She  failed  to  see  anything  extreme  or  Utopian 
in  her  work.  There  had  been  no  special  sacrifice 
made  as  yet.  Her  personal  expenditure  had  not 
been  lessened  necessarily,  by  so  much  as  a  ribbon, 
and  what  need,  then,  was  there  for  people  to 
make  so  much  fuss  about  what  seemed  to  her  a 
very  natural  work  for  every  one  of  them  to  en 
gage  in.  and  as  much  their  duty  as  her  own? 
She  began  assuring  them  of  this  fact  so  fearlessly, 
that  at  last  criticism  was  reserved  for  her  absence. 

As  she  went  her  rounds  from  week  to  week, 
and  looked  in  the  rosy,  bright  faces,  lately  so  wau 
and  wretched,  she  came  to  the  conclusion  there 
would  be  no  particular  merit  credited  to  her  in 
the  Book  of  Life,  since  she  got  such  grand  recom- 
pense without  having  to  die  to  secure  it. 

Patsey  was  very  happy  in  his  new  home.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Grant  seemed  quite  as  confident  of  the 
genuineness  of  his  conversion  as  he  did  himself, 
while  they  were  getting  as  ambitious  for  him  as 
they  used  to  be  about  their  own  sons.  Mr.  Grant 
was  superintending  his  studies  with  the  expecta- 
tion of  hriTirig  him  take  a  college  course,  while 


■«  '» 


vould  be  done 
luty,  as  much 
lives,  to  wit- 

ae  or  Utopian 

>ecial  sacrifice 

liture  had  not 

ih  asa  ribbon, 

for  people  to 

^med  to  her  a 

)f  them  to  en 

as  her  own? 

t  so  fearlessly, 

r  her  absence. 

week  to  week, 

,  lately  so  wan 

Qclusion  there 

ited  to  her  in 

>  grand  recom- 

re  it. 

IV  home.  Mr. 
infident  of  the 
e  did  himself, 
us  for  him  as 
I.  Mr.  Grant 
1  the  expecta- 
course,  while 


ANOTHER  JOURNEY  OF  MERCY. 


267 


the  lad  himself  was  fully  as  eager  as  any  of  them 
to  be  a  scholar  as  well  as  Christian.  Mrs.  Grant 
mothered  him  as  tenderly  as  if  he  had  been  a 
grandson,  and  not  one  of  her  own  children  ran 
the  same  risk  of  being  spoiled  through  over-indul- 
gence; but  the  Spartan  training  of  his  early 
years  kept  him  robust-hearted,  and  besides,  his 
was  not  one  of  those  nature?  apt  to  be  overcome 
by  luxury.  Angela  was  proud  of  him,  and  many 
an  excuse  was  urged  why  she  should  make  a  trip 
to  Barnsley,  where  the  Grants  lived,  just  for  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  her  promising  boy.  She  had 
him  pretty  well  convinced  that  he  was  destined  to 
be  a  missionary,  or  preacher  of  some  sort,  instead 
of  a  farmer. 

The  task  was  an  easier  one  af  tei*  Patsey  had 
been  given  an  opportunity  to  compare  other  modefi 
of  li>  Ing  beside  that  of  agriculture,  with  the  exist- 
ence he  had  endured  in  Cooper's  Alley.  Mrs. 
Grant  used  to  assure  her,  as  time  wore  on,'  that 
the  new  David  Grant  bade  fair  to  attain  a  per- 
fected manhood  only  second  to  that  of  his  hono- 
rable namesake,  for,  like  nil  true  wives,  that 
woi-thy  lady  was  blind  to  any  shortcomings,  intel- 
lectual or  moral,  in  her  husband,  and  was  certain 
the  first  prize  among  men  had,  in  some  unac- 
countable way,  fallen  to  her  lot. 


ii 


'7 

\ 


268 


ANOTHER  JOURNEY  OF  MERCY. 


Angela  had  felt  so  jubilant  over  her  success  in 
getting  homes  for  the  seven  previous  importations,' 
she  reasoned  that  it  would  be  perfectly  safe  in- 
vesting in  a  couple  more,  a  decision  warmly  en- 
couraged by  Mr.  Sargeant,  who  assured  her  if 
there  were  a  score  or  two  of  ladies  like-minded 
and  successful  with  herself,  their  work  would  be 
at  an  end  in  that  part  of  the  city.  She  made  a 
more  careful  selection  this  time,  securing  children 
that  were  without  claimants  of  any  kind,  and 
having  special  regard  to  their  personal  appear- 
ance, as  she  found  that  well-favored  faces  were 
more  likely  to  go  off  readily. 

There  were  now  twelve  children  less  exposed 
to  the  temptations  and  pinching  want  of  the  city. 
"What  a  gladness*  it  was  to  her  as  she  thought 
of  them  in  their  clean,  moral  homes,  getting 
trained  for  lives  of  usefulness;  brothers  and 
sisters  all  of  them,  she  claimed  in  her  own  se- 
cret heart,  losing  thereby  the  sense  of  loneli- 
ness that  ha'i  iiaunted  her  ever  since  the  death 
of  her  fatli'M'. 


-v^'. 


» 


ERCT. 


her  success  in 
I  importatious,' 
fectly  safe  in- 
[)n  warmly  en- 
assured  her  if 
;8  like-minded 
vork  would  he 
She  made  a 
iuring  children 
.ny  kind,  and 
rsonal  appear- 
•ed  faces  were 

D  less  exposed 
ant  of  the  city. 
SIS  she  thought 
homes,  getting 
brothers  and 
in  her  own  se- 
ense  of  loneli- 
since  the  death 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


A  PROMISE. 


It  was  Donald's  last  day  at  home,  and  Angela 
resolved  to  break  the  cnist  of  coldness  that  had 
in  some  unaccountable  way  settled  upon  their 
friendship.  He  had  scarcely  come  even  to  call 
at  the  Pines,  since  his  return,  unless  the  brief 
visits  paid  to  the  library  could  be  called  such  ; 
he  would  slip  in  there,  usually  when  she  was 
absent  from  home,  and  stay  sometimes  for  hours. 

•'  He  don't  make  as  much  noise  as  a  mouse, 
and  only  that  I  let  him  in  I  wouldn't  know  he 
was  there,"  Lindsay  complained,  for  even  she 
would  have  enjoyed  seeing  something  of  the 
human  side  of  the  young  man  ;  but  no  doubt  she 
respected  him,  like  lyomenkind  in  general,  for 
the  cavalier  way  he  treated  her.  She  was  opposed 
to  anything  like  sycophancy,  and  could  be  easier 
won  by  apparent  indifference  than  the  opposite. 

It  was  one  of  those  steady  downpourings  from 
260 


Zl. 


•I?-'-'' 


270 


A  PBOMISE. 


'I 


the  overflowing  clouds  that  often  come  to  us  in 
the  heart  of  summer,  fnid  that  seem  to  refresh 
all  created  things.  Lindsay  remonstrated  with 
her  when  she  saw  her  come  into  the  room  pre- 
pared for  a  walk  ;  Angela's  voice  was  low  and  a 
trifle  unsteady,  as  she  explained  where  she  was 
going. 

"  You  need  not  be  nneasy  if  I  do  not  return 
directly ;  perhaps  I  may  stay  for  tea." 

Lindsay  received  the  intimation  in  silence. 
Angela  was  so  indifferent  to  the  attentions  of 
young  men  in  general,  and  some  half-dozen  or  so 
in  particular,  foremost  among  the  number  Lewis 
Moxton,  that  her  shrewd  handmaiden  began  to 
wonder  if  the  girl  had  not  given  her  heart  long 
ago  to  the  companion  of  her  girlhood.  She  never 
let  fall  a  hint  of  her  suspicions,  lest  by  so  doing 
she  might  put  fancies  into  her  mind,  just  as  well 
not  dropped  there. 

When  Angela  started  out  into  the  rain  she  was 
seized,  for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  with  a  feeling 
of  shyness  at  presenting  herself  at  the  Wardell 
cottage.  As  she  passed  down  through  the  drip- 
ping meadow  path,  her  step  was  hesitating,  and 
when  half-way  there  she  was  possessed  with  a  de- 
sire to  tnrn  about ;  but  what  excuse  had  she  to 
offer  Lindsay  or  herself  either,  for  such  unwar- 


come  to  UB  in 
em  to  refresh 
)n3trated  with 
the  room  pre- 
ivas  low  and  a 
trhero  she  was 


do  not  return 


|3D  in  silence, 
attentions  of 
alf -dozen  or  so 
number  Lewis 
iden  began  to 
icr  heart  long 
)d.  She  never 
ist  by  so  doing 
id,  just  as  well 

he  rain  she  was 
,  with  a  feeling 
t  the  Wardell 
uugh  the  drip- 
hesitating,  and 
ssed  with  a  de- 
ise  had  she  to 
r  such  unwar- 


A  PROMISE. 


271 


rantable  conduct  ?  She  compromised  the  matter 
by  resolving  not  to  remain  for  tea,  much  as  she 
would  have  enjoyed  one  of  those  teardrinkings, 
so  rare  in  her  experience,  with  Wardell  convers- 
ing about  some  hero  of  whom  he  had  been  read- 
ing, and  Donald  uttering  an  occasional  remark, 
Mrs.  Wardell  meanwhile  looking  anxiously  over 
her  "  specs  "  to  see  that  every  one  was  attended 
to,  and  Jessie,  the  last  one  left  at  home,  adding 
her  slim  quota  to  the  general  fund  of  entertain- 
ment. Imagination  was  so  busy  picturing  the 
possible  scene,  she  was  at  the  door  before  she 
realized  where  she  was;  any  other  world  had 
been  shut  out  by  her  umbrella. 

It  was  a  timid  knock  that  asked  ac'  fn+viice, 
and  almost  directly  Donald  stood  waiting  xor  iier 
to  enter,  while  before  she  knew  what  they  were 
about,  her  dripping  wrap  was  laid  away,' and  her 
favorite  easy-chair  drawn  up  before  the  fire  in 
the  keep'nj;;-room,  for  the  day  was  chill,  as  well 
as  damp,  and  Mrs.  Wardell  had  a  horror  of  damp 
rooms  and  garments.  They  had  a  good  many 
ideas  and  items  to  exchange,  so  that  there  was 
no  danger  of  the  conversation  lagging ;  but  Mrs. 
Wardell  and  Jessie  were  soon  compelled  to  see 
about  the  supper  that  was  destined  to  be. a  supe- 
rior one,  from  the  double  importance  attached  to  it 


272 


A  PROMISE. 


—  Donald's  last  at  home  for.  an  indefinite  period, 
and  Angela's  first  in  a  good  many  weeks.  An- 
gela cared  very  little  for  the  supper,  but  she  did 
care  a  great  deal  for  the  privilege  of  sitting  there 
in  that  cosey  room  alone  with  Donald.  It  seemed 
even  better  than  the  old  times  when  they  used  to 
crouch  together  on  the  damp  ground  at  the  foot 
of  a  decaying  tree,  watching,  on  his  part  more 
especially,  with  absorbing  interest,  the  movements 
of  some  tiny  creature,  rare  from  its  excessive 
ugliness.  She  fell  to  wondering  at  last  if  he  en- 
joyed sitting  there  with  her  as  much  as  he  would 
to  have  some  hideous  creeping  thing  with  scales 
and  a  multiplicity  of  legs  and  eyes;  she  could 
not  make  free  enough  to  ask  him,  however. 

He  busied  -himself  showing  her  the  books  he 
had  been  studying  during  the  holidays,  and  some 
specimens  he  had  been  so  fortunate  as  to  find ; 
but  she  noticed  that  he  did  not  once  look  into  her 
eyes.  He  seemed  anxious  to  be  moving  back  and 
forth  with  a  book  or  bug  in  his  hands,  and  not 
as  much  inclined  as  she  would  have  particularly 
liked  to  sit  near  her,  telling  his  plans  for  the 
future  —  if  he  was  still  bent  on  having  that  house 
in  the  woods ;  how  idyllic  it  seemed  as  she  sat 
there,  the  mist  like  a  heavy  curtain  shutting  out 
the  great,  indifferent  world.     She  fancied  there 


indefinite  period, 
imny  weeks.     An- 
ippcr,  but  she  did 
je  of  sitting  there 
'onald.     It  seemed 
when  they  used  to 
2prouud  at  the  foot 
on  his  part  more 
est,  the  movements 
from  its  excessive 
ig  at  last  if  he  en- 
much  as  he  would 
thing  with  scales 
d  eyes ;  she  could 
im,,  however. 
^  her  the  books  he 
holidays,  and  sonie 
tunate  as  to  find; 
fc  once  look  into  her 
le  moving  back  and 
lis  hands,  and  not 
!  have  particularly 
his  plans  for  the 
1  having  that  house 
seemed  as  she  sat 
irtain  shutting  out 
She  fancied  there 


A   PR0MI8B. 


273 


could  be  nothing  so  delightful  for  her  in  the 
future  as  to  be  permitted  some  time  to  visit  him 
in  tliat  house  of  his,  and  listen  to  him  speaking 
to  her  in  that  low  voice. 

Donald  was  not  willing  to-day,  apparently,  to 
talk  with  her  about  anything  human  or  natural. 
Pie  took  scant  notice  of  her  timid  efforts  to  lead 
the  conversation  back  to  other  days,  or  to  the 
plans  be  was  laying  for  the  future ;  but  still  he 
was  very  gentle  with  her. 

She  was  puzzled  and  even  hurt  that  he  held 
himself  so  resolutely  from  everything  that  might 
seem  like  a  revival  of  the  old  intimacy ;  so  far 
as  the  topics  he  permitted,  she  might  have  been 
his  tailor,  or  some  wrinkled  scientist.  The  mo- 
ments were  passing  so  swiftly,  and,  alas,  each 
separate  one  seemed  more  precious  than  anything 
on  earth,  for  to-morrow  Donald  would  be  away, 
to  return  possibly  at  some  distant  period  even 
more  estranged  than  now.  She  ceased  to  pay 
much  attention  to  his  remarks,  merely  replying 
with  a  yes  or  no,  as  the  exigencies  of  the  subject 
he  was  discussing  might  require.  She  would 
rather  have  him  sit  near  her  in  silence,  than  talk 
on  subjects  that  seemed  to  lift  him  out  of  range 
of  her  ideas  and  sympathies. 

She  thought  of  Dora,  while  the  tears  came  to 


•^J 


274 


A   VUOMISE. 


hor  fiyes ;  Dora  who  wtiH  ho  clt'vev,  and  yot  loved 
l>er  HO  dearly  in  spito  of  her  literary  inaptitude. 
It  did  not  seem  neeoHsary  to  try  to  conceal  her 
oveHlowini^  eyes  from  Donald,  for  he  wuh  not 
taking  much  notice  of  her  eyes  or  perHonality,  ho 
far  as  she  eould  detect.  All  his  effortn  at  enter- 
tainment were  directed  towards  her  intellectu:d 
faculties,  while  these,  unfortunately,  were  not 
hungering  for  his  ministries. 

Even  Donald  could  not  maintain  a  learned 
discussion  without  some  encouragement.  IJis  re- 
marks were  falling  so  flat  he  drew  a  halt  at  last, 
and  going  to  the  table,  stood  turning  over  the 
leaves  of  an  illustrated  book  he  had  tried  to  get 
Angela  to  examine ;  she  did  not  know  that  his 
restlessness  proceeded  from  a  deeper  pain  than 
her  own.  ,  .^, 

"  I  low  long  before  we  may  see  you  again  ?  " 
she  asked  abruptly,  startled  for  the  moment  by 
the  quiver  in  her  voice,  and  most  heartily  wishing 
she  had  not  broken  the  silence. 

"  Not  until  I  am  in  a  pos:'  tion  to  claim  the 
best — if  it  remains  for  me  to  claim,"  ho  added 
bitterly. 

"  Will  it  take  you  very  long  ?  "  she  asked 
timidly.  J. .».  ,.j     ,  ;  .... 

in  "  How  can  I  tell  ?  perhaps  I  can  never  do  it." 


: i> A 'W'j'yw.r'-i"^ '''*>'*"'"'  "i'y""i  "'  '" 


A  PKOMISB. 


m 


»  O,  Donald !  in  it  pdHHibUi  wo  nmy  never  Hee 
you  again?"  Her  voieo  was  unHteady.  II«>w 
glad  Hhe  waft  that  she  could  dry  her  eyen  unseen 

by  him. 

"They  say  evorythiUf;  comes  to  him  who  is 
willing  to  work  and  wait ;  perhaps  what  I  want 
may  come  to  me. 

"I  th(mght  you  did  not  care  for  money. 
D.)n't  you  remember  in  those  happy  days  when 
we  told  each  other  everything,  you  planned  to 
have  a  cal)in  away  in  the  wild  woods?  It  seems 
80  beautiful  to  me  sometimes  to  think  of  that 
little  home,  where  everything  would  be  natural 

and  true." 

"  I  did  not  know  what  T  wanted  then  —  a  boy's 
heart  is  different  from  a  man's." 

She  did  not  question  any  more.  He  spoke  so 
sternly— as  if  her  interference  in  his  affairs 
angered  him  ;  that  was  the  hardest  of  all  to  bear. 
He  did  not  come  near  her  ;  did  not  attempt  to 
enlighten  her  intellect  on  those  abstract  subjects 
that  were  so  tiresome,  but  still  he  was  in  the  room 
with  her,  and  they  two  were  together ;  that  was 
something,  when  to-morrow,  next  year,  a  dozen 
years  hence,  that  experience  might  not  be  re- 
peated. She  did  not  know  that  he  was  watching 
the  shapely  head  bent  low  on  her  hand  as  she  sat 


r 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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1.0 


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IfiUS    |2.5 

■SO   ■^"     M^M 

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LLS. 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WIST  MAIN  STRKT 

WEBSTIR.N.Y.  14580 

(716)872-4S03 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  InatHuta  for  Hinorieal  Microraproduetiona  /  InatHut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  Matoriquaa 


^■-fc',.,     .- 


"ikH 


276 


A  PROMISE. 


in  the  firelight,  wiping  away  the  tears  that  kept 
coming  in  such  troublesome  profusion. 

Not  until  he  could  come  to  her  as  an  equal  — 
confer  honor  rather  than  receive  it — would  he 
tell  her  of  the  love  that  had  grown  with  him 
from  boyhood.  Nature  grew  too  strong  for  him. 
He  turned  swiftly,  and  surprised  her  weeping. 

"  Angela,  promise  me  that  you  won't  marry  any 
one  until "  —  he  hesitated  —  "  until  I  come  back." 

He  did  not  know  how  he  was  crushing  the 
tender  rose-leaf  hand  in  his  passionate  grasp. 

«I  promise."  What  a  glad  heart  shone  up 
through  the  tear-ftlled  eyes.  He  could  not  trust 
himself  longer,  but  abruptly  left  the  room,  his 
whole  being  in  a  whirl  of  tumultuous  emotion. 
All  a  successful  lover's  triumph  in  his  heart  — 
all  his  manliness  and  honor  outraged  because  of 
the  advantage  he  had  taken  of  such  a  girl  as 
Angela. 

She  was  left  alone,  but  she  told  her  heart  that 
now  she  was  ao  much  Donald's  affianced  wife  as 
if  the  betrothal  had  been  sealed  with  all  the 
promises  usual  on  such  occasions.  How  gladly, 
how  proudly,  she  would  wait  for  him  through  the 
coming  years,  certain  that  he  would  claim  her 
promise  when  the  right  time  came. 

She  did  not  see  him  agun  until  tea  time.     He 


"WJWP 


A  PBOICTSS. 


277 


sat  beside  her  at  table,  and  was  particular  that 
she  should  be  supplied  with  everything,  but  for 
the  first  time  in  her  life  Mrs.  Wardell's  cooking 
had  lost  its  flavor ;  indeed,  she  wondered  if  she 
would  ever  care  very  particularly  for  food  again. 
She  had  never  felt  so  proud,  so  highly  honored 
in  all  her  life.  To  think  that  Donald  should 
care  for  her  — really  want  her  for  his  wife  — 
seemed  an  honor  out  of  all  proportion  to  her 
deserts. 

David  was  unusually  silent  that  night.  None 
of  his  departed  heroes  were  powerful  enough  to 
banish  the  thought  that  on  the  morrow  the  last 
of  his  boys,  and  the  dearest,  would  leave  the 
home  roof.  His  two  older  sons  were  as  ambi- 
tious in  their  way  as  Donald.  Archie  was  some- 
where now  in  the  fastnesses  of  Australia,  Andrew 
in  the  Sandwich  Islands.  From  both  of  them 
came  assurances  of  their  prosperity,  in  the  form 
of  bits  of  printed  paper  holding  their  names  for 
certain  snug  amounts  for  their  parents'  comfort. 
Agues  was  preparing  to  be  a  teacher,  and  was 
then  at  a  training  school  for  teachers  in  a  neigh- 
boring city.  David  was  very  justly  proud  of  his 
children,  and  had  an  idea  that  few  men  had  quite 
so  much  to  be  thankful  for  as  he,  when  he  fell  to 
examining  his  mercies  carefully. 


278 


A  PBOHISB. 


Angela  wished  a  sudden  darkness  might  spread 
over  the  land,  for  then  Donald  would  be  com- 
pelled to  see  her  home,  but  at  that  season  the 
twilight  had  a  habit  of  lengthening  out  until 
nearly  bedtime.  When  the  tea  drinking  was 
ended  there  was  nothing  for  her  but  to  don  her 
waterproof  and  return  to  the  home  more  lonely 
now  than  ever.  Mrs.  Wardell  and  Jessie  busied 
themselves  getting  her  ready,  Donald  at  the 
further  end  of  the  room  watching  the  labor  of 
love  with  a  passionate  longing  in  his  heart  to 
claim  her  there  before  them  all  as  his  own  till 
death.  Mrs.  Wardell  liked  her  next  to  her  own 
children,  and  enjoyed  fuUy  as  much  as  Angela, 
these  opportimities  of  mothering  her.  Angela 
crossed  the  room  and  gave  Donald  her  hand. 
She  could  not  ti-ust  herself  far  enough  to  murmur 
the  softest  good-by.  He  took  the  little  hand 
given  half-timidly,  and  then  dropping  it  hastily 
turned  and  got  his  hat. 

"  I  will  carry  your  umbrella,"  he  said  brusquely. 

The  tears  of  pain  that  had  been  swelling  her 
heart  suddenly  became  joyous,  and  she  was  glad 
to  escape  from  the  watching  eyes  into  the  storm 
outside.  Oddly  enough  she  did  not  mind  having 
Donald  see  her  tear-filled  eyes.  If  she  could  just 
have  sobbed  out  all  her  loneliness  and  hunger  for 


N 


A  PBOMISB. 


279 


kindred  and  love  as  they  walked  throngh  the 
sodden  meadows,  she  fancied  after  that  it  would 
be  easier  to  bear  the  separation.  Mrs.  Wardell 
stood  at  the  window  watching  them,  her  sight 
grown  suddenly  clear.  She  saw  that  they  walked 
as  slowly  as  if  genial,  sunny  skies  bent  above 
them. 

"  Angela  is  only  a  child  yet,  and  does  not  know 
her  own  heart ;  she  should  not  trifle  with  the  lad." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  mother  ?  "  Jessie  asked 
curiously. 

''  I  mean  that  Donald  has  given  Angela  all 
his  heart,  and  she  is  leading  him  on ;  they  are 
only  children  in  some  things,  and  do  not  know 
the  mistake  they  are  making." 

"  What  mistake  ?  " 

"  Why,  thinking  of  love,  child.  What  right 
have  they  to  talk  of  such  things  ?  " 

"Why  not,  mother?"  she  asked  gently.  "I 
believe  they  have  always  loved  each  other,  and 
where  could  either  of  them  get  better  suited?  I 
think  it  is  the  most  beautiful  thing  I  ever  saw 
outside  of  books." 

"  Child,  you  do  not  know  what  you  are  talking 
about.  You  forget  Angela's  birth  and  fortune. 
What  has  Donald  to  match  it  ?  " 

''If  she  loves  him  she  won't  think  of  that. 


'^mmmm^mmBm 


280 


A  PB0MI8B. 


She  always  ihonght  he  was  better  iAan  any  one, 

and  she  thinks  so  stiU;  I  saw  it  in  her  eyes 
when  she  looked  at  him.  I  did  not  realize  then 
that  it  was  love." 

"  She  is  too  young  to  know  her  own  heart. 
She  will  forget  him  and  take  up  with  some  one 
else,  and  that  will  spoil  his  life.  I  wish  she  had 
not  come  to-day ;  no  knowing  what  they  may  say 
to  each  other  under  that  umbrella.  My  eyes  did 
not  get  opened  until  I  saw  the  tears  in  her  eyes, 
and  the  glad  look  on  her  face  as  Donald  went  out 

with  her ;  poor  Donald !  poor  boy !  " 

She  looked  out  into  the  misty  twilight  as  if 

there  might  be  a  chance  of  hearing  what  was 

being  said  under  that  pr<Jvoking  umbrella,  but 

there  was  no  answering  word. 


Am 

anoth 

Bomev 

Sheg 

of  h( 

would 

plum] 

come 

own 

returi 

went 

after 

sistec 

gettii 

she  ( 

work 

satioi 

oondi 


II 


aeart. 
e  one 
e  had 
lysay 
es  did 
eyes, 
at  out 

as  if 

it  was 
A,  but 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


▲    GALL. 


Amono  her  aoqnaintanoes,  in  the  course  of 
another  year  or  two,  Angela  began  to  be  regarded 
somewhat  in  the  light  of  an  emigration  agent. 
She  grew  very  anxious  indeed  to  extend  the  circle 
of  her  acquaintance  among  farmer  folk,  and 
would  take  long  journeys,  accompanied  by  some 
plump-faced  boy  or  girl.  Sometimes  she  would 
come  back  alone ;  too  often,  however,  for  her 
own  peace  of  mind,  her  youthful  charge  would 
return  with  her.  Some  of  the  boys  and  girls 
went  off  readily,  others  were  kept  on  for  months 
after  the  preparatory  training  that  she  now  in- 
sisted on,  had  been  completed.  People  were 
getting  accustomed  to  her  eccentricities,  but,  if 
she  could  prevent  it,  in  her  own  presence,  the 
work  was  not  permitted  to  be  the  topic  of  conver- 
sation. There  was  much  to  encourage  her  in  the 
conduct  generally  of  the  children. 

281 


'S     -sS' 


mmmmmmmmmBmmsmmimmmmimmmmm 


mmmmmmmmmmmm 


mmammmmmmmmmm 


mmmmmmm 


^mmmmmmmmmmmBm 


282 


A  OALli. 


Strange  to  say,  she  was  impatient  to  have  them 
all  fine  students,  and  no  matter  how  favorable 
the  report  might  be  as  to  their  general  industry 
or  docility,  she  would  look  upon  them  as  compar- 
ative  failures  if  this  were  the  best  that  could  be 
said  in  their  favor.  The  new  David  Grant  and 
her  own  Mark  gave  her  great  satisfaction. 

Both  of  the  boys  were  growing  finely  ;  strong 
muscular  young  fellows  that  their  stunted  child- 
hood  gave  no  promise  of  their  ever  becoming. 
Both  of  them  were  looking  forward  to  a  univer- 
sity career.  Mr.  Grant  had  promised  to  see  that 
David  was  helped  with  the  required  means,  while 
Angela  although  not  now  formally  promising 
Mark  the  same  had  made  up  her  mind  to  set  him 
on  the  road  for  it  if  nothing  more. 

Many  a  lad  after  once  getting  a  teacher's  cer- 
tificate had  finished  the  rest  unaided.  Mark  should 
have  this  as  well  as  further  help,  to  say  the  least. 
His  time  now  was  pretty  much  all  given  to  study, 
gave  in  the  long  midsummer  holidays,  when  he 
and  the  other  lads  useJ  +o  help  the  hay-makers. 
He  had  ever  been  reticent  about  his  plans  for  the 
future,  and  while  the  others  discussed  what  they 
were  going  to  be,  he  listened,  but  said  nothing. 
So  far  as  morality  went,  he  had  been  steadily 
persevering  in  right  courses  since  that  memorable 


J. 


A  GAIiL. 


288 


day  when  Angela  had  counseled  him  on  the 
matter  of  fighting,  but  on  more  spiritual  topics 
he  was,  so  far  as  any  one  could  tell,  as  indifferent 
as  a  young  heathen. 

One  day,  however,  in  the  early  autumn,  just 
after  school  had  opened  and  he  had  been  having 
a  more  than  usually  confidential  chat  with  Angela 
—  a  privilege  he  coveted  more  than  she  could 
know  —  he  suddenly  told  her  that  he  was  think- 
ing of  being  a  minister. 

She  was  so  surprised  that  for  awhile  she  could 
think  of  no  suitable  reply.  The  very  silence  with 
which  his  remark  had  been  received  brought  a 
quick  flush  of  pain  into  the  clear  olive  cheek, 
when  he  said,  "  Don't  you  want  me  to  be  one?  " 

"Yes,  Mark;  I  would  like  you  to  be  a 
preacher  above  everything,  if  I  thought "  —  she 
was  silent  a  few  moments  —  "if  I  thought  you 
had  the  necessary  qualifications." 

"  Do  you  mean  if  I  was  a  Christian  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  that  is  my  sole  objection." 

"  It  has  seemed  to  me  that  is  the  only  condi- 
tion on  which  I  can  become  a  Christian.  I  must 
give  all  to  get  all;  that  is  why  I  have  held  out 
so  long." 

"Then  you  have  bad  the  call?"  she  cried, 
with  shining  eyes. 


■HMMH 


284 


▲  GALL. 


"  I  am  afraid  I  have  ;  I  would  rather  do  any 
thing  than  be  a  preacher,  if  I  had  my  own 
choice."  He  spoke  Blowly,  as  if  giving  utterance 
to  the  words  was  painful. 

"  It  is  a  strange  experience  ;  I  never  heard  of 
one  similar  —  to  be  called  before  you  are  con- 
verted ;  but  perhaps  you  are  a  Christian,  Mark, 
and  do  not  know  it." 

"  No,  I  am  not ;  one  could  tell  light  from  dark- 
ness surely ;  but  I  never  felt  as  near  being  a 
Christian  as  I  do  now  ;  confessing  that  to  you  has 
eased  my  nvind.  lexpect  all  that  has  hindered  me 
was  my  unwillingness  to  do  what  God  asked." 

"  Our  best  way  is  to  look  at  the  rewards  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  work  will  bring  us ;  besides,  time 
soon  slips  by.  It  is,  at  best,  only  a  brief  inter- 
regnum of  eternity." 

"  Time  seems  very  long  to  me  now  —  to  think 
of  preaching  to  people  for  fifty  years  ;  I  suppose, 
though,  it  will  only  be  one  sermon  at  a  time." 

"  I  would  rather  preach  than  do  anything  if  I 
were  a  man  ;  I  have  the  obedience,  I  suppose, 
without  the  call;  David,  too,  would  be  willing 
now  to  preach ;  he  would  prefer  it  to  the  law, 
and  there  are  others  of  my  boys  who  would  be 
willing,  I  think ;  others,  too,  whom  I  should  so 
much  like  to  see  in  the  pulpit." 


A  GALL. 


286 


She  spoke  sadly  as  she  thought  of  Donald  — 
her  Donald,  from  whom  she  never  received  so 
much  as  a  message,  away  in  another  hemisphere, 
and  already  winning  a  name  for  himself  in  that 
world  he  looked  upon  as  the  noblest  this  side  the 
Btars  —  the  world  of  thoug'.t  and  letters. 

''How  long  have  you  b^en  thinking  of  this, 
Mark?" 

"More  or  less  since  that  old  preacher,  Mr. 
Brandt,  was  here.  I  hav«  repeated  to  myself  a 
great  many  times  some  things  he  said  that  day. 
How  1  have  wished  that  I  had  missed  that 
sermon." 

"  Do  you  really  wish  it  now,  Mark  ?  " 

"Not  so  much*  since  I  have  talked  with  you. 
I  should  like  to  be  in  the  right  way,  no  matter 
where  it  might  lead  me." 

"  Ah  1  that  is  the  right  way  to  be  in,  to  feci 
like  that,  and  I  am  only  surprised  that  every  one 
does  not  want  to  be  God's  special  ambassador. 
—  I  mean  every  man." 

"  You  are  a  special  one." 

"  How  can  you  say  that,  Mark  ?  " 

*'  Because  all  the  good  any  of  us  may  do  will 
be  through  what  you  have  done  for  us.  I  should 
have  forgotten  the  impression  that  sermon  made 
on  me  if,  every  day  since,  your  exaipple  had  not 


F-.X- 


286 


A  CALL. 


been  like  the  voice  of  conaoienoe.  Tf  I  ever  get 
to  bo  a  preochur,  and,  like  the  eloquent  ones,  can 
tell  all  that  ia  in  uiy  heart,  I  will  tell  you  then 
how  much  you  have  done  for  me  —  my  saint 
Angela." 

lie  turned  and  walked  abruptly  away,  leaving 
Angela  standing  alone  in  the  old  orchard,  under 
a  pear-tree  loaded  down  with  fruit.  She  reached 
up  and  picked  a  ripe  pear,  just  on  the  point  of 
dropping,  borne  down  with  the  weight  of  its  own 
richposs.  She  stood  looking  intently  at  its  russet 
skin,  as  if  it  contained  some  mystery  of  sweet- 
ness never  seen  in  a  pear  before,  and  yet  she 
was  scavctfly  conscious  that  she  held  it  in  her 
hand.  In  that  moment  'she  realized  that  her 
"work  was  comiug  back  to  her  like  the  bread  cast 
upon  the  waters,  and  that  to  be  God's  minister 
neither  sex  nor  age  make  any  difference.  Her 
work  would  be  as  graciously  accepted  as  if  done 
by  the  best  descendant  of  Adam.  Then  all  at 
once  the  work  seemed  glorified,  as  if  by  some 
divine  illumination.  She  stood,  thinking  deeply 
over  the  past,  when  the  sister  Dora  of  long  ago, 
who  had  slipped  into  a  higher  school,  seemed  to 
stand  beside  her,  bringing  the  best  of  both  worlds 
nearer.  It  was  her  hour  of  supreme  consecra- 
tion.     Henceforth   she  would   shrink   from   no 


'f| 


A  CALL. 


287 


aacrifloe  no  long  as  God  commanded  it.  Tho 
work  that  had  been  undertaken  and  carried  on 
in  the  light-heartednesa,  partly  of  an  experiment 
that  might  result  either  in  failure  or  suoceBS,  and 
in  either  case  was  not  to  be  taken  too  serioufllj', 
wuH  lienceforth  to  bo  her  life  work.  Her  raeaus, 
hor  time,  herself  must  bo  given.  Because  of 
Dora's  worcls,  that  dying  message,  dictated  by 
tho  passing  soul  on  whom  the  clear  light  of  eter- 
nity was  descending,  twoscore  lives  already  had 
been  rescued  from  the  depths,  and  placed  where 
they  might  learn  to  be  true  men  and  women. 
But  what  were  they  among  the  unnumbered  mass 
of  childhood,  worse  than  homeless,  friendless, 
and,  alas,  godless,  and  like  to  be  till  the  veil 
dropped,  and  they  were  shifted  on  to  other  and 
eternal  shores,  scarce  knowing  whither  they  were 
tending,  or  why  they  were  created  at  all  for  such 
poor  ends? 

She  sank  down  on  the  grass  within  the  shadow 
of  the  pear-tree,  and  thought  it  all  out ;  thought 
more  deeply  than  was  her  wont,  for  she  was  too 
much  given  to  working  by  impulse,  and  this  i>e- 
quired  close  thought,  for  the  difficulties  were 
immense.  If  the  Pines  should  be  utilized  as  a 
training-home  for  the  children  on  a  large  scale, 
retrenchments  must  be  made  all  around  in  their 


288 


A  CALL. 


.iiii 


Style  of  living,  since  to  do  the  work,  as  in  that 
hour's  inspiration  it  bad  seemed  possible  to  do  it, 
would  require  a  large  outlay  of  money  -  larger, 
perhaps,  than  she  could  wdl  afford,  except  ^by 
rigid  economy,  and  that  was  something  she  had 
never  exercised.  _ 

She  laid  her  plans  resolutely,  well  knowing  the 
bitter  opposition  she  might  expect  from  Lindsay, 
and  realizing,  also,  what  an  alteration  it  would 
make  in  her  own  life. 

Hitherto,  she  had  never  brought  more   than 
seven  or  eight  children  into  her  home  at  once, 
and  usually  their  ranks  were  soon  thinned  by 
removals ;  but  now  to  have  every  room  occupied, 
with  only  two  or  three  exceptions,  and  not  her 
house  alone,  but  her  whole  time  devoted  to  the 
work—  not  for  a  few  years  merely,  but  until  old 
age,  if  God  left  her  so  long  in  the  world !     Now 
she  understood  better  the  perplexed  question  that 
had  always   appeared  so  strange  to  her  — her 
craving  for  love  and  kindred,  her  loneliness.     In 
another  way  than  she  might  have  planned  God 
had  made  her  life  full;  would  it  be  complete? 
but  then,  was  any  life  complete?     In  happiest 
wedded  love  were  there  not  ideals  never  reached  .' 
Few  faces  bore  the  repose  of  a  quiet  spirit,  satis- 
fied  with  the  folfillments  of  all  their  longings: 


gen( 
reve 


say 
this 


S 


A  CALTi. 


289 


in  that 
o  do  it, 
larger, 
jept  by 
ihe  had 

ving  the 
jindsay, 
t  would 

re  than 
at  once, 
aned  by 
rtjcupied, 

not  her 
d  to  the 
until  old 
1!     Now 
ition  that 
ler  —  her 
aess.     In 
ined  God 
soniplete  ? 

happiest 

reached  ? 

irit,  satis- 

lon^ngs: 


generally  those  countenances  that  come  nearest 
revealing  this,  were  found  with  those  whom  the 
great  world  woidd  call  its  banished  ones  ;  guests 
of  God  only,  and  satisfied  with  the  fare  he  gives. 

Quickly  she  went  to  the  house  and  announced 
to  Lindsay  the  larger  work  she  was  going  to 
undertake,  patiently  listening  to  her  reproaches  — 
her  appeals  that  she  should  be  satisfied  with  the 
work  already  done,  and  to  think  more  of  herself. 

"  I  do  want  to  see  you  married  before  I  die, 
and  with  children  of  your  own  to*chase  these 
crazy  notions  out  of  your  head,"  she  said,  with 
actual  tears  in  her  eyes.  Lindsay  was  not  one 
of  the  weeping  kind,  and  it  was  the  first  time 
since  her  father's  death  that  Angela  had  ueen 
her  so  far  moved. 

"  I  should  not  marry  in  any  case.  O,  Lind- 
say !  I  wish  you  would  enter  into  the  spirit  of 
this  work  and  help  me." 

"  Why  won't  you  marry  ?  Haven't  you  never 
loved  any  one?  dear  knows  there's  plenty  who 
seem  to  love  you  too  well  for  their  own  comfort." 

Angela  did  not  attempt  a  reply. 

Lindsay  continued  in  a  moralizing  mood  : 

"Now  you'll  get  into  this  work  head  over  ears 
—  I  just  know  how  things'll  be  —  when  pres- 
ently some  fine  fellow'll  come  along  and  you  are 


290 


A  CALL. 


that  impulsive,  if  once  you  faU  i»  1*»^«'  f 'fj* 
^orse  on  you  than  the  measles,  ana  you  U  leave 
everything  and  follow  him."  ^^ 

»  You  would  be  satisfied  then,  dear? 
"Well,  yes  ;  I'd  be  satisfied  to  see  you  marry 
„,ost  anybody  that  was  the  leastest  bit  decent 
Why,  I'd  hold  up  both  hands  for  you  and  Donald 

"say  watched  keenly  the  effect  her  shaft 
.igUftake.  A  sudden  flame  of  color  suffused 
the  white  face,  and   Angela  rose  and   went  to 

the  window.  ,        ,  . 

u  That's  how  the  cat  jumps.  I've  thought  w 
™ach  this  good  speU,"  Lindsay  said  to  herself, 
with  a  confidential  nod. 

»  What  can  be  the  trouble,  I  wonder.  Angela 
is  humble  enough  to  take  a  chimney  sweep  .f  he 
only  had  the  quaUties  she  dotes  on,"  Lindsay 

'""^"Tho^'l  didB't  make  you  angry,  hinting  at 
B„ch  a  thing?  I  know  Donald's  not  your  equal 
by  a  long  ways,  but  I'm  that  anxious  to  see  you 
settled  I'd  be  willing  for  most  anything. 

Lindsay  was  shrewd  enough  to  throw  out  a 
bait  she  felt  pretty  certain  Angela  would  seize 

..Donald  Warden  is  worthy  of  a  princess.    He 

iB  BO  far  above  me  I  would  be  amaaed  if  he  asked 


*. 

A 


ii 


A  CALL. 

me  to  marry  him.     I  oould  only  believe  it  was 
for  pity." 

Bless  me!  do  you  say  so?  Well,  I  didn't 
mean  any  offense  to  you,  I'm  sure,"  Lindsay  said, 
more  in  response  to  the  blazing  eyes  of  the  girl 
than  the  mere  words  she  had  spoken.  "I'm 
willing  to  allow  that  he's  good  enough  for  Queen 
Victory,  only  for  the  matter  of  age." 

Angela  eould  not  help  smiling  at  Lindsay's 
sudden  complaisance,  while  she  was  angry  with 
herself  for  being  enteapped. 


o 


CHAPTER  XX. 

AN   UNPAID   HELPEB. 

Lindsay  di  ^  not  mention  love  or  marriage  to 
Angela  again,  but  comforted  her  by  the  new,  and 
altogether  surprising  interest  she  took  in  ner 
work.  The  stately  calm  of  the  Pines  was  now  a 
memory  alone ;  the  great  rooms  that  in  other 
days  had  served  as  guest  chambers  for  the  fash- 
ionable and  cultured,  were  converted  into  sleep- 
ing wards  for  the  children  of  emigrants  from 
every  quarter. 

Angela's  plans  had  been  many  times  altered  in 
the  course  of  the  last  two  or  three  years,  more 
frequently  to  suit  the  exigencies  of  her  purse, 
than  the  desire  of  her  heart.  The  farm  was  cul- 
tivated now  especially  for  the  food  that  could  be 
extracted  from  its  well-nourished  soil ;  time  and 
money  that  had  been  expended  in  ornamentation 
were  directed  solely  to  making  it  yield  good  crops 
that  might  be  turned  into  cash. 

292 


penn 
have 
mine 
a  mi 
ting 
new 
luxu 
of  a 
did 
ity,  i 
we  1 
and 
intl 
It 
alas 
fron 
ent  I 
even 
and 
somt 
that 
men 


o 


AN  rNPAID  HBLPBB. 


298 


ge  to 
,  and 
I  ner 
low  a 
other 

fash- 
sleep- 

from 

red  in 
more 
parse, 
u  oul- 
ald  be 
le  and 
itation 
I  crops 


Angela  was  developing  into  quite  a  shrewd 
business  woman,  and  the  excellent  bargains  her 
neighbors  had  been  accustomed  to  make  with  her 
had  become  a  tradition  only.  She  bought  and 
sold  with  an  eagerness  to  make  the  most  of  evety 
penny  that,  under  other  circumstances,  might 
have  awakened  painful  apprehension  in  the 
minds  of  her  friends,  lest  she  should  develop  into 
a  miser.  Her  own  personal  expenses  were  get- 
ting reduced  to  an  almost  scientific  precision,  a 
new  silk  gown  now  being  one  of  the  unattainable 
luxuries,  which,  if  indulged  in,  might  be  at  the  oost^ 
of  a  human  soul  —  or  so  she  reasoned.  If  we 
did  not  find,  among  a  too  self-indulgent  human- 
ity, some  such  rare,  unselfish  beings  now  and  then, 
we  might  forget  what  possibilities  for  nobility 
and  grand  development  men  and  women  possess 
in  the  abstract 

It  is  so  much  easier  to  read  of  these,  scattered, 
alas !  at  too  great  intervals  along  the  generations 
from  Enoch  down  to  the  last  decade  of  the  pres- 
ent century,  than  to  join  their  slender  ranks,  but 
even  to  know  that  they  have  lived,  and  sacrificed 
and  been  glad  in  the  life  they  have  chosen  is,  to 
some  of  us,  an  inspiration,  while  we  remember 
that  they  are  our  own  species,  that  the  same  ele- 
ments of  character  may  be  in  ourselves,  to  be 


294 


AN  UNPAID  HBLPEB 


developed  fully  in  a  world  where  selfish  environ 
mentB  will  no  longer  fetter  us. 

Warden's  sons  were  prospering  so  well  now 
that  the  tokens  of  their  filial  regard  were  render- 
ing  daily  toU  on  his  part  no  longer  a  necessity, 
ludeed,  they  were  so  anxious  for  him  to  give  up 
work  that  every  letter  seemed  to  have  that  for 
its  principal  message.     He  had  been  slow  to  re- 
spond ;  for  one  thing  he  did  not  wish  to  become  a 
burden  on  his  boys  ;  indeed,  this  was  not  a  neces- 
sity    for  his  own  industry,  combined  with  the 
good  wife's  thrift,  had  enabled  him  to  lay  by 
Buffioient  money,  or  nearly  so,  for  their  few  wants, 
independently  of  the  checks  that  came  in  nearly 
every  letter.     He   could   not,  however,  cont^t 
himself  with  a  life  of  comparative  idleness.     He 
could  not  read  all  the  time ;  he  cared  nothing  for 
neighborhood  gossip;  his  own  little  garden  was 
jealously  tended  by  his  wife,  and  so  there  was 
nothing  left  for  him  to  do  ;  beside  he  had  been 
so  long  accustomed  to  going  back  and  forth  to 
the  great  gardens  at  the  Pines,  superintending 
all  the  affairs  of  the  property,  he  did  not  feel 
/  like  relinquishing  the  task  to  other,  and,  he  be- 
lieved, less  competent  hands. 

For  years,  and  in  fact  ever  since  he  had  worked 
Uiere,  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  going  to  the 


mm 


A»  UNPAID  HBLPKB. 


205 


Pines  on  Michaelmas  Day  to  settle  up  his  year's 
accounts.      First,   with   Angela's   grandmother, 
then  with  her  father,  and  now  with  herself.     He 
made  this  last  journey  with  a  full  heart,  since  it 
was  possible  Angela  might  not  permit  him  to  re- 
main  on  his  terms,  and  he  had  at  last  promised 
his  sons  to  be  a  hired  servant  no  longer.     She 
had  not  received  the  slightest  hint  of  his  inten- 
tions, and  accompanied  him  to  the  library  with 
the  gentle  deference  that  she  always  observed  to- 
ward Donald's  father,  more  than  to  any  other 
person.     They  went  over  the  year's  accounts; 
when  she  paid  him  the  balance  of  his  wages,  he 
sat  nervously  handling  the  roll  of  bills  and  tak- 
ing slight  notice  of  her  attempts  at  friendly  con- 
versation.    She  noticed  his  constraint  and  was 
growing  nervous  herself,  when  with  an  effort  he 

said : 

"  The  lads  have  forbidden  me  to  hire  for  an- 
other year ;  they  send  home  more  money  than 
we  shiJl  be  likely  ever  to  spend." 

He  did  not  see  the  look  of  pain  in  the  face 
grown  suddenly  pale  that  was  watchmg  him,  but 
he  was  startled  at  the  changed  voice. 

"You  leave  me  at  a  time  when  I  need  you 
the  most;  more  than  that,  I  shall  miss  you  for 
other  reasons." 


£86 


AK  UNPAID  HBLPKB< 


Her  voice  failed  her,  and  she  sat  looking  steadily 
now  at  the  carpet,  a»  if  she  had  never  quite  under- 
stood  its  pattern  before. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  leave  you.  They  have  been 
writing  for  a  good  while,  but  I  could  not  tell 

you." 

«'  Do  they  all  desire  it?"  she  murmured,  with- 
out raising  her  eyes. 

"Yes;  they  seem  to  think  I  need  rest.  I 
never  felt  stronger  in  my  life,  but  I  canuot  go 
against  the  bairns." 

"I  do  not  ask  it."  She  spoke  sorrowfully, 
wondering  if  that  would  be  the  way  people  would 
treat  her  all  through  life ;  when  they  no  longer 
needed  her  help,  leave  her  In  loneliness.  For  a 
little  while  she  felt  very  bitter  against  humanity 
in  the   abstract,   but  she   soon   conquered   the 

feeling. 

"You  must  have  some  one  to  oversee  your 
work  still.  I  have  been  thinking  the  boys  here 
might  do  the  work ;  it  wotUd  save  a  man's  pay, 
and  I  dare  say  money  is  worth  more  now  than 
ever  it  was  at  the  Pines  since  it  came  into  your 

family." 

Angela  nodded  her  head  in  response  to  his 

remark. 

"  I  have  talked  the  matter  over  with  my  wife, 


AN  UNFAID  HBLPBR. 


297 


and  we  have  come  to  the  oonclusion  that  we  can 
satiBfy  the  lads  and  help  you  at  the  same  time. 
1  will  take  charge  of  things  juM  as  usual,  and 
that  will  save  a  man's  pay.  I  promise  things 
shall  bo  as  well  looked  after  as  they  ver  were." 
Angela's  only  response  was  to  burst  into  a 
passion  of  weeping. 

" Dear  heart,  what  has  pained  you  so?" 
Warden's  own  voice,  stronger  and  deeper  thau 
most  voices,  was  unsteady,  but  she  only  wept  the 

more. 

"  Surely  you  have  not  been  thinking  we  were 
ungrateful,  my  child.  Did  you  think  I  was  go- 
ing to  leave  you,  after  all  the  years  of  generous 
treatment  I  had  received  from  this  house?" 

She  did  not  attempt  to  contradict  him. 

"  The  lads  never  write  but  they  mention  you 

all  of  them.     If  they  had  known  how  this  was 

going  to  distress  you  they  would  not  have  asked 
it.  How  could  any  of  us  know  that  you  thought 
so  kindly  of  us  ?  " 

"  You  will  not  write  to  any  of  them  how  child- 
ish I  have  been,"  she  entreat^. 

"I  do  not  call  it  childish.  I  had  forgotten 
how  lonely  you  are,  with  no  kin  near  you.  One 
is  apt  to  forget  that  hearts  need  other  thmgs  than 
gold." 


ri^ 


^^^^ 


ill 


^^ggftmamam^ 


tmmmmmfBmmmm 


mmmmm 


m 


•.mx 


AK  UUPAID  HBLPEB. 

He  aroM,  and  glancing  toward,  the  drooping 
figure  opposite,  -aid,  a  little  unsteadily :  "You 
iihould  have  a  husband,  and  bairns  of  your  own. 
You  have  too  tender  a  heart  to  be  fighting  the 
world  single-handed  ;  we  did  not  know  that  you 
cared  so  much  for  others."  He  did  not  say  "  for 
us,"  as  it  was  in  his  heart  to  say. 

Angela  arose,  and  turning  to  him  said,  with  a 
brave  effort  at  self-control:  « I  shall  never  for- 
get your  kindness,  and  now  I  am  so  glad  that  we 
shall  be  partners  together  in  this  work." 

»♦  You  will  not  be  more  glad  than  I ;  there  w 
no  one,  not  even  Mrs.  Lindsay,  who  can  take 
quite  so  much  interest  in  your  work  and  yourself 

She  looked  up  at  him  with  surprise,  her  eyes 
as  suddenly  dropping,  for  in  that  instant,  in  some 
mysterious  way,  she  found  that  he  knew  her 
secret— and  Donald's.  Could  he  understand 
Donald's  strange  silence  any  better  than  she? 
That  was  a  question  impossible  for  her  to  ask. 

The  work  went  on  after  that  much  as  before, 
gave  that  David  hired  less  work  done,  and  set 
the  boys  who  were  at  the  Pines  regularly- 
appointed  tasks.  He  was  methodical,  and  each 
was  compelled  to  do  the  work  appointed  him, 
or  else  suffer  the  penalty  that  foUowed  each 


AN  UNPAID  HBLPKR. 


299 


neglected  duty.  The  entire  charge  of  the  boy« 
when  outuide  the  house  had  been  given  to  him, 
which  Angela  found  was  a  great  relief  to  her- 
uelf .  Fortunately,  they  stood  considerably  in  awe 
of  him.  He  was  a  man  of  few  words,  usually 
saying  just  what  he  meant  with  least  possible  oir- 
cumlooution.  He  had  trained  his  own  children 
in  a  silent  way  to  submit  to  the  old-fashioned 
obedience  that  men  of  heroic  mould  have  been 
in  the  habit  of  exercising  over  their  children 
gince  the  days  of  Abraham,  and  he  believed 
similar  treatment  was  just  what  these  hitherto 
untrained  youths  most  needed. 

Lindsay  complained  that  it  was  not  fair  to  let 
him  work  just  as  hard  as  he  ever  did  without 
pay,  but  Angela  knew  that  what  he  did  was  done 
from  love,  and  he  had  a  recompense  better  than 
silver  or  gold.     It  was  a  necessity  now  to  keep 
the  children  much  longer  at  the  Pines  than  in 
former  years.     Nearly  aU  the   available   places 
had   been   supplied   within   a  radius   of  twenty 
miles ;  this  was  matter  both  for  regret  and  rejoic 
ing,  since  by  keeping  them  bo  long  under  her  own 
care  she  could  the  better  train  them  to  meet  the 
temptations  of  the  outside  world ;  but  when  she 
reflected  on  the  numbers  of  poor,  friendless  chil- 
dren stiU  left  in  the  city  with  few  to  hold  them 


800 


AN  tUiPAID  HBLPRB. 


battk  from  dentruotion,  it  grieved  her.  The  work 
Hho  wiui  able  to  do  wan  no  limited  compared  with 
what  might  bo  done,  if  others  woidd  do  even  half 
att  much  as  she,  no  wonder  she  sometiutes  grew 
discouraged;  but  seeing  the  few  that  had  beeu 
saved  encouraged  her  to  go  on,  doing  a  little 
work.  Ten  boys  and  girls  rescued  from  a  life  of 
degradation  and  transformeil  into  genuine  Chris- 
tians, might  mean  a  thousand  saved  a  hundred 
years  hence.  She  therefore  reckoned  her  suuoeM 
in  the  future  rather  than  the  present. 

Her  first  importations  were  very  nearly  grown 
to  nun's  and  women's  estate.  It  l>egan  to  make 
her  i'i>el  {{uite  an  old  woman  when  Mrs.  Ingledorf 
whispered  that  they  might  have  a  wedding  before 
very  long,  William  Kay  being  now  a  stalwart 
young  fellow,  who  had  illustrated  the  virtue  of 
generous  diet  in  his  own  person.  It  was  matter 
of  ,n;reat  rejoicing  to  the  Ingledorfs  that  their 
adopted  r<on  and  daughter  were  likely  to  remain 
with  them  for  life. 

Whether  it  was  from  the  very  faithful  way  in 
which  Angela  had  tried  to  indoctrinate  the  young 
folk  with  her  own  views  regarding  dram  drink- 
ing, and  the  use  of  tobacco,  or  because  of  their 
native  good  sense,  she  could  not  tell,  but  so  far 
as  she  could  learn,  not  one  of  them  used  those 


pois( 

feret 

nhxiH 

look 

us  tl 

fuUj 

ttiig« 

thei: 

proi 

wen 

voic 

tion 

the 

brol 

She 

the 

nie< 

so 

qui 

jeoi 

per 
list 
pla 

r 

pai 

bo: 


AM   UNPAID  HELPBR. 


801 


work 

with 

I  half 

grew 

boen 

little 

ife  of 

Z!hriB* 

ndred 

uuceM 

frown 
make 
ledorf 
before 
ftlwart 
tue  of 
uatter 
their 
einain 

vay  in 
young 
drink- 
:  their 
80  far 
thoM 


poiBonH  in  any  form.     Whenever  opportunity  of- 
U>rtn\  Hho  exerciHe<l  all  hur  iHJWeni  of  oratory  iu 
iil.uKing  thoHe  vile  compound*.     While  the  lad* 
hMjki'd  and  listened  —  for  their  eye*  were  as  keen 
as  their  ears— •he  neemed  to  every  one  of  them 
fully  a»   beautiful    an   their   wildest  dreoms   of 
angelhood  could  picture,  and  then  bo  eager  about 
their  futui-e  that  they  were  ready  to  make  any 
promiHes  she  desiretl.     Sometimes  these  promises 
were  not  easily  kept,  and  her  tender,  pleading 
voice  seemed  sounding  in  their  ears  when  tempta- 
tion was  strongest,  and  to  be  able  to  look  h«r  in 
the  face  and  say  truthfully  that  they  had  not 
broken  their  promise,  meant  a  great  deal  to  them. 
She  had  expended  more  brain  power  in  studying 
the  effects  of  alcohol  and  tobacco  on  the  fine 
mechanism  that  God  created  last,  and  pronounced 
so  {?ood,  than  on  Greek  or  Latin,  and  oonso- 
(luontly  could  apply  her  knowledge  of  those  sub- 
jects to  excellent  purpose. 

Years  after  the  boys  used  to  say  that  her  tem- 
perance talks  were  the  most  convincing  they  ever 
listened  to,  but  she  never  asked  for  any  broadev 
platform  than  the  fireside. 

The  old  feeling  of  loneliness  was  gradually 
passing  out  of  her  life;  there  were  so  many 
boys  and  girls  now  through  the  country  to  greet 


IliJUWiWl'W" 


802 


AN  UNPAID  HELPBK. 


m 

ill 


her  with  much  the  same  warm  affection  that 
mothers  only  re^  oive,  since  she  was  in  the  tniest 
sense  a  mother  to  them  all. 

She  had  come  at  last  to  call  herself  Sister 
Angela.  The  thought  to  do  so  had  always  been 
in  her  heart  since  Dora  had  timidly  addressed  her 
in  that  way.  It  occurred  to  her  that  if  these 
children,  some  of  them  without  kindred  —  and 
those  who  had  not  were  usually  deserving  of 
least  pity  —  could  realize  that  she  claimed  them 
as  brothers  and  sisters,  it  might  help  them  to  re- 
spect themselves  —  incite  them  to  attempt  being 
worthy  of  such  recognition. 

Many  a  friendless  waif  at  the  public  schools 
threw  back  the  taunt  from  contemptuous  school- 
fellows that  Sister  Angel  bought  enough  of 
them  to  let  them  call  her  sister,  and  she  was  the 
first  lady  in  the  land.  They  could  not  be  long 
ill  the  same  house  with  Lindsay  without  having 
that  latter  fact  duly  impressed  on  their  minds. 
Sometimes  when  Angela  was  made  the  confidant 
of  their  trials  she  was  glad  that,  among  her  dif- 
ferent belongings,  she  had  been  gifted  with  what 
the  world  calls  fine  birthright  claims ;  more, 
however,  for  the  help  it  was  to  others  not  so  well 
favored,  than  for  any  particular  satisfaxition  she 
drew  from  it  herself. 


divi 

are 

alth 

celli 

one 

livii 

ant! 

wht 

esqi 

is  r 

as 

out 

bar 

toil 

cou 

rud 

whi 

frit 

the 

vel 

yet 

ign 

the 

fixi 


mm 


AN  UNPAID  HELPER. 


808 


She  was  wise  enough  to  know  that  it  is  our  in- 
dividual  self,  and   not  ancestors  whose  "bones 
are  dust,"  that  makes  us  worthy  of  special  honor, 
although  ancestors  are  a  very  necessary  and  ex- 
cellent institution,   whUe  we  all  have   them  of 
one  fashion  or  another.      A  God-fearing,  pure- 
living  peasant  ancestry  may  leave  their  descend- 
ants a  happier  legacy   in   their  keener   power 
whereby  to  enjoy  the  best  gifts  of  two  worlds  than 
esquires  or  royalties  can  transmit  to  theirs.     It 
is  not  so  much  the  abundance  of  our  possessions 
as  the  faculty  we  may  have  for  taking  the  best 
out  of  what  falls  to  us.     Who  has  not  seen  some 
barefoot  boy  with  a  few  flapping  rags  by  way  of 
toilet,  in  the  green  lanes,  far  in  the  heart  of  the 
country,  take  greatly  more  satisfaction  out  of  a 
rude  cart,  the  wheels  continually  wobbling  off, 
which  with  the   help   of  an  older  brother,  or 
friendly  schoolmate,  he  had  manufactured  out  of 
the  family  woodpile,  than  city  children  in  dainty 
velvet  garments,  with  their  expensive  playthings,  * 
yet  of  whose  modes  of  construction  they  were  as 
ignorant  as  we  children  of  a  larger  growth  are  of 
the  laws  that  regulate  the  internal  polity  of  the 
fixed  stars  ? 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

A  PARTING. 

Angela  was   one  of  the  busiest  women  in 
Loaghurst.  '  She   knew  the  luxurv  of  finding  . 
every  day  too  short,  and  this  not  because  she  was 
eager  to  add  to  her  own  worldly  accumulations, 
but  because  she  saw  so  much  that  needed  to  be 
done  for  others.     To  increase  her  cares  Lindsay's 
health  for  the  past  few  months  had  been  gradu- 
ally failing.     One  duty  after  another  was  regret- 
fully given  up—  always  with  a  word  of  apology, 
and  the  assurance  that  in  a  few  days  she  would 
resume  the  accustomed  task  again.     She  would 
not  see  a  doctor,  holding  the  profession  in  great 
contempt,  but  at  last  Angela  brought  one  un- 
known to  her.     He  was  a  rising  physician  in  a 
neighboring  town,  whom  she  heard  spoken  of  as 
one  of  the  most  promising  men  in  the  profession. 
He  came  ostensibly  as  a  guest,  while  Lindsay 
was  considerably  flattered  by  the  interast  this 

804 


good 

healt 

sym] 

sogi 

cal  ii 

as  vi 

so   f 

anot 

her 

at  fi 

nied: 

need 

she^ 

saw 

cam( 

with 

as  a 

coul 

part 

time 

sent 

the 

her 

whi( 

whe 

towi 


A  PABTESO. 


805 


good-looking,  nice-spoken  young  man  took  in  her 
health.  She  entered  into  particulars  about  her 
symptoms  generally,  and  wondered  why  he  looked 
so  grave  when  she  concluded  her  recital  of  physi- 
cal ills  ;  afterward  she  was  annoyed  with  herself, 
as  well  as  surprised,  that  she  should  have  talked 
so  freely  to  a  strange  young  man,  probably 
another  admirer  of  Angela's,  who  made  much  of 
her  for  reasons  of  his  own.  But  when  he  came 
at  frequent  intervals,  and  brought  her  doses  of 
medicine  that  he  assured  her  were  just  what  she 
needed,  all  of  which  she  obediently  swallowed, 
she  was  more  mystified  than  ever.  It  is  true  she 
saw  that  he  looked  very  happy  when  Angela 
came  into  the  room,  while  his  eyes  followed  her 
with  a  meaning  that  Lindsay  understood  as  well 
as  any  other  daughter  of  Eve,  but  after  all  she 
could  not  help  thinking  that  it  was  to  see  her 
particularly  that  he  came  so  often,  especially  at 
times  when  he  was  certain  Angela  would  be  ab- 
sent from  home.  She  decided  at  last  that  he  was 
the  finest  specimen  of  his  sex  it  had  ever  been 
her  lot  to  meet,  while  the  maternal  instincts, 
which  are  planted  in  every  true  woman's  heart, 
whether  dormant  or  developed,  in  her  case  warmed 
toward  him  tenderly. 

"  If  I  was  a  young  woman,  and  good-looking 


806 


A  PABIING. 


Uke  some,  I'd  marry  him  quicker  than  any  one  I 
ever  saw.     I  wish  other  folks  could  see  as  1  do, 
she  said  querulously  to  Angela. 

"If  I  had  had  a  son  like  him  I'd  have  most 
idolized  him.  To  teU  the  truth,  I've  often  thought 
mothers  were  foolishly  fond  of  their  boys.  I 
never  understood  how  warming  to  a  heart  up  m 
years  a  ptrong  young  man  could  be.  Do  take 
my  advice,  Angela.  It's  a  sight  better  than  hv- 
ing  alone  as  I  have  done." 

"You  would  have  me  care  for  the  man  I  waa 

going  to  marry  ? ' 

"Oh!  girls  are  much  too  particuhw;  them 
what  takes  most  anybody,  whether  he's  their 
choice  or  not,  seems  to  get  on  as  well  as  the  rest. 
I've  often  noticed  love  matches  don't  turn  out 
better  than  the  rest." 

"  We  cannot  always  tell  which  are  love  ma^ 

riages."  t.^ 

"  Well,  if  I  had  my  life  to  live  over,  I  d  marry 
a  ditcher,  providing  he  was  honest  and  true ;  but 
when  I  was  young  I  was  that  proud  I  wanted  a 
gentleman,  and  they  are  a  class  of  people  that 
mostly  craves   their  own  kind;  but  girls  are 

powerful  silly." 

Angela  trembled  for  Lindsay's  recently  awak- 
ened  sentiment  should  she  discover   that  this 


beai 
inte 
not 
calc 
witl 
stra 
beii 
1 
waa 
thai 
Bri 
the 
ha^ 
pov 

by 

dea 
exe 
bee 
ant 
be« 
at  1 

to: 

CO!] 

he 
the 

saj 


▲  PABTIKG. 


807 


one  I 
1  do," 

a  most 
iiought 
•ys.  I 
up  in 
>o  take 
lan  liv- 

L  I  vras 

;  tbem 
s  their 
;be  rest, 
urn  out 

ve  mar- 

'd  marry 
rue;  but 
iranted  a 
>ple  that 
^rls   are 

kly  awak- 
tbat  tbis 


beautiful  young  man  had  only  a  professional 
interest  in  her.  If  she  never  got  well,  she  might 
not  learn  her  mistake,  but  Angela  could  not,  with 
calmness,  think  of  ttuch  a  thing  as  that;  for 
with  all  her  brusqueness  she  loved  the  rugged, 
strong  woman  only  second  to  one  other  humkn 
being. 

The  doctor  had  told  the  Wardells  that  Lindsay 
was  past  all  human  help.  That  insidious  malady 
that  seems  peculiarly  the  foe  of  this  generation, 
Bright's  disease,  had  for  months  been  sapping 
the  reserve  powers  of  the  once  hardy  frame.  She 
had  only  one  remedy  for  sickness  —  her  own 
powerful  resolution.  She  had  exercised  that  day 
by  day  until  at  last  it  had  to  succumb  to  the 
deadly  weakness  which  made  even  the  slightest 
exertion  a  weariness.  The  turning-point  had 
been  passed  where  medical  skill  could  have  met 
and  matched  the  disease,  before  the  doctor  had 
been  summoned ;  now  the  restless  spirit  fretted 
at  the  lethargy  settling  on  all  its  powers,  but  had 
to  learn  the  lesson  God  sets  most  of  us.  Angela 
could  never  find  courage  to  ask  the  doctor  what 
he  thought  of  his  patient;  the  look  on  his  face 
the  first  day  he  sat  chatting  so  gently  with  Lind- 
say sealed  her  lips. 

One  might  be  surprised  at  her  unwillingness 


808 


A  PARTING. 


to  believe  any  but  favorable  decisions,  bnt  Lind- 
say stood  to  her  now  in  place  of  all  her  own 
kindred,  most  of  whom  had  passed  away  before 
her  eyes  had  opened  on  the  scenes  of  life :  her 
grandmother,  that  stately  dame  who  prided  her- 
self   so  much  on  her  birth  and  training,  keep- 
ing all  the  countiy  side  at  a  distance  because  of 
their  lack  of  these  essential  qualities ;  the  gentle 
mother  whose  ancestral  branches  shot  even  higher 
into  the  cold,  upper  regions  of  aristocratic  vege- 
tation than  the  family  could  boast  with  whom 
she  allied  herself;  the  dignified  mother-in-law, 
condoning  the  humility  of  soul  which  made  the 
younger   woman   recognize^  a  pious   and   indus- 
trious housemaid  as  a  sister  beloved,  because  of 
the   distinction   and   wealth   such    alliance  had 
brought  into  her  own   family.     The   pain   that 
proud  woman  exhibited  when  this  bright,  gracious 
creature,  so  like  Angela's  self,  gave  up  her  life 
and  left  in  exchange  the  tiny  infant,  struck  other 
women  who  had  daughters-in-law  as  very  peculiar. 
She,  too,  had  passed  away  before  Angela's  recol- 
lection, but  Lindsay  had  talked  so  much  to  her 
about  both  women,  describing  their  peculiarities 
in  such  a  realistic  way,  her  remarks  illustrated  by 
the  excellent  likeness  of  each  of  them  hanging 
in  the  parlor,  that  Angela  seemed  to  feel  fairly 


N 


PARTING. 


809 


well  acquainted  with  both  of  them.  Lindsay 
had,  in  her  girlhood,  been  a  maid  at  Ashcroft 
Hall,  where  Angela's  ancestors  had  lived  in  con- 
siderable state  since  the  stormy  days  when  King 
John  reluctantly  affixed  his  signature  to  the 
Magna  Charta. 

She  loved  to  describe  those  long-vanished 
scenes  and  the  family  splendor,  and  her  joy  at 
being  sent  across  the  sea  to  Mistress  Annie  —  An- 
gela's grandmother,  who  had  followed  her  lover  to 
the  New  World.  All  through  her  childhood  and 
youth,  Angela  had  listened  to  these  storieo,  while 
it  had  been  a  cherished  hope  with  Lindsay,  from 
the  time  she  saw  the  budding  grace  and  beauty  of 
the  girl,  that  she  should  go  back  among  her  own 
and  find  a  mate  who  was  worthy  of  her.  That 
hope  had  been  growing  fainter  year  after  year, 
until  now  when  she  would  have  made  a  very  in- 
ferior individual,  as  regards  family  connection, 
welcome,  only  so  far,  however,  as  honesty  and 
sobriety  were  concerned ;  on  these  qualities  she 
insisted  firmly. 

There  were  long  hours  of '  sleeplessness  for  her 
now,  when  all  the  world  around  was  hushed  in 
slumber;  at  such  seasons  fancy  was  busiest. 
Slowly  the  question  was  foromg  itself  upon  her 
mind,  Could  she  ever  be  well  again  ?    Ever  ba 


MM 


810 


A  PABTnro. 


able  to  take  up  the  burdens  that  were  wearing  so 
heavily  on  the  girl  whom  she  had  always  shielded 
from  household  cares?  Other  questions,  too, 
came  thronging  about  her  in  those  lonely  vigihi. 
How  was  she  prepared  for  the  long  and  unknown 
journey  over  a  road  no  guide  book  has  ever  de- 
scribed? Patsey's  old  question  returned  with 
wearisome  iteration  :  "  Are  you  converted  ?  " 

Her  anxiety  became  so  deep  at  last,  that  she 
asked  for  Patsey. 

"  I  mean  David  Grant  that  now  is.  He  made 
a  remark  to  me  once  that  I  have  never  forgotten, 
and  I  want  to  ask  him  about  it,"  she  remai'ked 
mysteriously.  And  Angela  at  once  complied 
with  her  request. 

When  he  entered  her  room  Lindsay  was  sur- 
prised at  the  change  in  his  appearance.  He  had 
been  abroad,  and  she  had  not  seen  him  for  a  long 
time,  and  in  the  meantime  the  loose-jointed  youth 
had  shot  up  into  a  tall,  well-formed  man,  but 
with  something  of  the  boyish  look  still  in  the 
strong,  resolute  face. 

Angela  left  them  together,  considerably  mysti- 
fied at  Lindsay's  eagerness  for  a  private  confer- 
ence. Could  it  bo  possible  that  she  did  not  «k- 
pect  to  get  well  again,  and  had  been  seized  with 
a  natural  desire  to  bequeath  her  goodly  store  of 


▲  PABTIMO. 


811 


earnings  to  her  relations  over  the  sea  ?  She  would 
know  that  David  was  sufftciently  versed  in  law 
to  attend  safely  to  her  last  will  and  testament. 

They  were  closeted  together  a  long  time, 
Angela  too  bnsy,  however,  with  her  appointed 
tasks  to  brood  very  deeply  on  the  perplexing 
question,  but  her  heart  was,  nevertheless,  iu  a 
tremor  of  frightened  expectancy.  She  felt  sure 
David  would  tell  her  what  Lindsay's  business 
might  be.  He  might  also  tell  her  what  she  was 
fighting  with  herself  not  to  believe. 

At  last  she  saw  him  coming  to  her.  She  was 
in  the  garden  tying  up  the  flowers  into  bouquets 
to  send  to  the  city,  where  they  found  a  ready 
sale;  they  had  been  pressed  into  a  mission  of 
helpfulness,  along  with  all  the  other  products 
of  the  farm. 

Angela  watched  the  manly-looking  young  fel- 
low, so  brave  and  independent  in  his  bearing,  as 
he  came  toward  her,  with  a  feeling  of  deep  satis- 
faction. To  transform  the  dregs  of  humanity 
into  such  noble  specimens  of  the  race  should  cer- 
tainly atone  for  the  work  she  was  at  that  moment 
engaged  in. 

David  began  cutting  the  stalks  and  arranging 
the  flowers  into  groups  that  charmed  even  An- 
gela's fastidious  taste,  while  she  waited  anxiously 


Mil 


mmm 


^^^ 


^mm 


81fl 


A  PARTIKO. 


At  last  the 


for  him  to  begin  the  oonTerMtioii. 
could  bear  the  suapense  no  longer. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  Lindsay  ?  " 

He  an;^  /ered  her  question  by  asking  another. 

'« Did  you  know  for  what  purpose  she  sent  for 
me?" 

"  No."  The  face  looking  so  intently  into  hit 
suddenly  grew  paler. 

'*You  know,  of  course,  that  she  is  near  her 

end?" 

"  Who  says  that  she  is  ?  "  she  asked  hotly. 
•♦The  doctor — everybody;  surely  you  were 
not  ignorant  of  what  is  patent  to  every  one  who 
has  seen  her  ?  " 

"  Was  there  no  one  who  oared  enough  for  me 
to  tell  me  ?  "  she  sobbed.  "  Does  she  know  it 
herself  ?  " 

"  I  told  her  just  now ;  I  think  she  must  have 
believed  so  herself,  or  she  would  not  have  sent 
for  me." 

"  Did  you  write  her  will  ?  " 
t(  I  am  to  do  so  after  dinner."  He  paused,  as 
if  reluctant  to  repeat  what  had  passed  between 
them  —  why  Lindsay  had  sent  for  him.  "  Do 
you  remember  a  conversation  we  hi|d  together  a 
good  many  years  ago  —  down  by  the  edge  of  the 
pine  wood,  one  summer  evening  ?  *' 


\. 


sen 


it  the 

bher. 
at  for 

bo  his 

\t  her 

were 
e  who 

For  me 
low  it 

t  have 
e  sent 


sed,  as 

etween 

"Do 

sther  a 

of  the 


A  PARTIKO. 


119 


"Yes." 

"It  led,  if  you  remember,  almost  directly  to 
my  conversion.  I  have  never  tried  to  thank  you 
for  the  interest  you  took  in  me  that  night;  I 
never  shall  be  able  to  do  so  as  I  t^ould  wish  until 
we  meet  in  another  world  where  we  shall  have 
language  deep  enough  for  our  utmost  need.  If 
you  remember,  I  asked  Lindsay  the  next  morn- 
ing if  she  had  ever  been  converted  —  telling  her 
what  had  just  taken  place  in  my  heart.  She 
was  very  angry  with  me  at  the  time,  but  it  seems 
that  question  I  asked  so  long  ago  has  been  vex^ 
ing  her  of  late;  she  wanted  me  to  tell  her  all 
about  it.  I  have  found  that  in  telling  her  I 
have  myself  been  helped ;  mingling  with  worldly 
people  is  apt  to  make  some  of  us  forget  the 
sterner  realities  of  death  and  eternity." 
•  Angela  was  listening,  her  whole  eager  soul 
shining  in  her  eyes. 

"Could  you  make  her  understand?"  she 
asked. 

"  I  cannot  tell.  Do  you  remember  you  told 
me  that  evening  we  could  never  find  the  Lord  so 
easily  as  in  our  youth?  I  was  thinking  of  that 
whUe  I  talked  with  her ;  but  with  God  all  things 
are  possible." 

Angela  sank  down  on  a  garden  chair,  ner 


«14 


A  PARTIKO. 


handH  iaiy  folded  in  her  lap,  her  intereit  in 
ev«rything  gone  Bave  that  old,  tried  friend,  m 
noon  to  crosB  the  boundary  line  dividing  u«  from 
that  other  country. 

"  Why  did  she  not  apeak  to  me  ?  " 
"She  did  not  want  to  grieve  you,  but  was 
wishing  «o  much  that  you  would   talk   to   her 

porsonally." 

Angela  WM  Bilent.  "  Had  che  been  neglecting 
a  known  duty?  "  she  asked  herself. 

"  It  was  better  for  her  to  speak  flrst.  The  fact 
that  she  conquered  her  proud  nature  sufficiently 
to  speak  to  me  will  be  a  great  help  to  her.  I 
believe  the  two  hardest  steps  for  us  to  take 
toward  salvation  is  acknowledging  our  need, 
and  believing  that  Christ  is  able  and  willing  to 

gave  us." 

•'  She  has  taken  one  of  those  steps.  God  he\p 
her   to   take   every    other,"    Angela    murmured 

fervently. 

After  dinner  David  was  again  closeted  with 
Lindsay,  coming  out  at  k  .  .o  get  legal  witnesses 
for  the  will  he  had  jusc  drawn.  All  about  the 
premises  were  more  or  less  her  beneficiaries,  save 
the  housemaids,  and  these  were  taken  into  the 
sick  room,  both  of  them  looking  very  solemn  and 
somewhat  alarmed,  but  they  affixed  their  signar 


tui 

Wtl 

fei 
hi> 
nn 

UII 

al 
fa 

tl 

y* 

sc 


h 
a 

h 
f 


it  in 

d,  80 
from 


)  was 
>   her 

soting 

>efaot 
iently 
sr.  I 
take 
need, 
ng  to 

Ihelii 
luured 

I  with 
;neB8es 
tut  the 
B,  save 
tto  the 
an  and 
signa- 


A   PABTINO. 


816 


turim  to  the  paper,  and  when  it  wa»  done  there 
wuH  a  iiha»lo  k«Mii  of  anxiety  on  Lindsay'*  waxen 
features.  David  found  it  iniposHilile  to  preserve 
bin  calmnoHS  wlien  Angela  slipped  into  the  room 
and  threw  herself  on  the  bed  beside  her  oldest 
aud  truest  friend. 

"0,  Lindsay!  are  you  going  to  leave  me 
alone?  "  she  sobbed ;  "  you  have  always  been  so 
faithful  to  me,  and  now  I  shall  have  no  one." 

"  Yes,  dear ;  you  will  have  the  Lortl,  and  then 
there  are  aU  these  dear  boys  and  girls  who  love 
you  nearly  as  well  as  I  do.  You  won't  be  lone- 
some  long." 

"  No  one  will  quite  take  your  place." 
"I  think  it  is  all  for  the  best;  David  says  so." 
She  talked  calmly,  with  frequent  pauses,  for 
her  strength  was  far  spent,  but  her  mind  remained 
as  clear  as  ever.     Angela  held  the  thin,  hard 
hand,  grown  so  in  faithful  service  to  her  and  her 
family,  but  the  tears  kept  falling  more  sofUy  now. 
David  had  taken  a  chair   at  her  side.     He 
longed  to  speak  some  comforting  word  to  her 
who  had  been  mother  and  friend  to  him  for  so 
many  years;  to  whom  he  owed  everything  he 
held  best  in  thb  world.     She  must  have  felt  the 
unspoken  sympathy  in  his  heart,  for  she  turned 
to  him  at  last,  aad  putting  her  hand  in  his  said: 


■Mii 


316 


A  PARTING. 


"  What  should  I  do  now  if  it  were  not  for  you 
and  Mark — and  all  the  rest,"  she  added,  as  if 
just  remembering  that  the  others  had  a  right  to 
be  included  also. 

Lindsay  had  fallen  asleep,  but  Angela  did  not 
move. 

The  lights  were  brought  in  ;  there  was  work 
that  must  be  attended  to,  and  with  a  heavy  heart 
she  turned  from  that  restful  quiet. 

For  nearly  a  month  Lindsay  lingered  on,  then 
fell  calmly  on  sleep  —  the  sleep  that  knows  no 
earthly  waking. 


thi 
ing 
spi 

goi 
du 
en( 
W 
up 
th( 
all 
th( 
tet 
up 

001 

fie 


^ 


p  you 
as  if 
:ht  to 

d  not 

work 
heart 

then 
rs  no 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


A  MEETING. 


The  autumn  winds  were  sighing  gloomily 
through  the  pine  woods,  the  autumn  leaves  drift- 
ing down  to  enrich  the  mould  from  which  they 
sprang. 

Angela  sometimes  felt,  now  that  Lindsay  was 
gone,  that  the  care  was  more  than  she  could  en- 
dure. Hired  help  at  the  best  was  a  poor  depend- 
ence ;  frequently  the  best  was  not  to  be  bad. 
Wardell  took  more  and  more  of  the  burdens 
upon  himself,  even  his  wife  and  Jessie  coming  to 
the  rescue  in  times  of  pressing  emergency,  but 
all  the  care  of  the  house  was  upon  her,  beside 
the  oversight  of  the  children.  She  was  matron, 
teacher  and  housekeeper  all  in  one,  but  she  boro 
up  bravely,  and  no  one  ever  heard  her  utter  a 
complaint. 

One  evening  when  the  storm  was  raging 
fiercely   without,  she    sat    by  her  own   fireside, 

«17 


318 


A  MESTINQ. 


busy  with  her  accounts,  and  feeling  glad  that  all 
her  household,  dumb  and  human,  were  in  their 
appointed  shelter,  when  there  came  a  gentle  tap 
at  the  door.  She  bade  the  applicant  enter, 
thinking  it  might  be  one  of  the  maids  with 
letters  or  a  message,  and  went  on  reckoning  up  a 
column  of  figures  that  would  persist  in  coming 
out  larger  than  she  expected.  She  heard  the 
door  open,  and  a  footstep  on  the  thick  carpet,  and 
half-CQusciously  waited  for  the  person  to  speak. 
Surprised  at  last  at  the  silence,  she  turned  her 
face  to  the  door,  when  she  was  startled  to  see  a 
man  standing  beside  her. 

She  looked  at  him  for  an  instant,  her  fear  turn- 
ing to  gliidness  as  she  murmui-ed, "  It  is  Donald  I " 

She  held  out  her  hand,  which  was  instantly 
clasped  in  both  of  his,  while  she  stood  looking 
into  the  bronzed,  bearded  face. 

«'Can  it  be  really  Donald,  or  am  I  mistaken?" 
she  asked  at  last.  This  tall,  distinguished-look- 
ing man  certainly  bore  slight  resemblance  to  her 
friend. 

"  Yes,  it  is  Donald ;  your  Donald,  Angela." 

She  withdrew  her  hand  and  placed  an  easy 
chair  for  him  by  the  fire. 

"  We  were  not  expecting  you.  When  did  you 
arrive  ?  "  she  asked. 


(i 
«(' 
i( ' 

H 

easy 

SI 
ohaii 
open 
shou 
and 
she 
firop 

"1 
she  ^ 

""! 

Ai 
agaii 

"] 

have 

n^ 

Tl 
made 

"1 
with 


*'  An  hour  ago.* 

"  Have  you  had  tea  ?  " 

"Yes." 
■  Will  you  permit  me  to  take  your  wet  ooat  ?  " 

"Thank  you." 

His  anaveri  were  certainly  very  brief ;  not  an 
easy  person  to  entertain,  by  any  means. 

She  busied  herself  hanging  the  wet  coat  on, a 
chair,  and  added  more  wood  to  the  old-fashioned, 
open  fire,  making  a  cheery  blaze  that  of  itself 
should  have  thawed  out  the  most  silent  tongue, 
and  then  with  a  stmxige  feeling  of  constraint, 
she  sat  down  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
fireplace. 

"Did  yon  come  across  in  the  last  steamer?" 
slie  ventured  timidly  to  inquire. 

"Yes." 

After  another  pause  she  broke  the  silence 
again. 

"  Did  you  not  find  the  passage  rough?  We 
have  had  stormy  weather  all  along  the  coast" 

"  We  had  a  stormy  voyage." 

They  came  to  another  pause,  and  again  Angela 
made  a  further  attempt  at  entertainment 

"  How  glad  your  parents  will  be  to  have  you 
with  them  at  Christmas ! " 

There  was  a  thrill  of  gladness  in  her  own  voicf 


I 


WPK 


820 


A  MBKTIHG 


that  was  like  a  gleam  of  sunshine  to  the  man 
sitting  opposite  her. 

«  Are  you  glad,  Angela  ?  "  He  was  standing 
beside  her  now,  looking  down  into  the  pale, 
upturned  face. 

"Yes." 

"  I    have   come   to    release  you   from   your 

promise." 

"You  do  not  need.     I  have  no  thought  of 

marrying."     She  spoke  sadly. 

"You  must  not  say  that,  Angela;  I  have 
worked  as  few  men  have  done  to  win  a  position 
worth  offering  you.  The  time  has  ccme  that  I 
dare  to  tf)U  you  something  of  the  love  that  has 
been  in  my  heart  all  these  years." 

"  Was  it  because  of  that  you  never  told  me  ?  " 
What  a  world  of  regret  there  was  in  the  low- 
spoken  words. 

"  There  could  be  no  other  reason." 

"  O,  Donald  I  ?^nd  all  the  time  you  were  so  far 
above  me ;  and  now  it  is  too  late." 

"  It  shall  not  be  too  hite  ;  nothing  shall  come 
between  us  any  longer  —  nothing  but  death, 
Angela."     He  spoke  passionately. 

"  I  have  other  duties  now ;  did  they  not  tell 


me 

wi] 
Ae 

J 

ful 


you 


"Your  highest  duty  is  *->  yourself  and  jour 


■t.««-{5jSffl??/!'*''" 


■WPaRPi 


A  MRETIKO. 


d2i 


plighted  husband.  All  these  years  I  have  trusted 
you  —  kept  myself  pure  for  you.  I  shall  not 
oross  the  ocean  without  you." 

What  a  wave  of  gladness  enfolded  her  as  she 
listened  to  his  impetuous  voice  I  This  was  more 
than  parents  or  brothers  and  sisters  —  than  all 
kindred  beside.  She  could  follow  him  anywhere, 
and  no  place  would  be  lonely  with  him  at  her 
side.  And  then  the  thought  of  what  others 
would  miss  because  of  her  joy,  dashed  the  oup  of 
bliss  from  her  lips. 

"  O,  Donald  I  how  can  I  leave  thone  who  need 
me  so  much  more  than  you  need  me  ?  Your  life 
will  be  very  suooessful,  very  perfect  without  me. 
And  they  have  no  one  to  care  for  them." 

The  eyes  gazing  at  him  so  wistfully  now,  were 
full  of  tears. 

You  know,  Donald,  I  have  loved  you  better 
than  all.  I  have  so  wanted  to  belong  to  you, 
even  while  I  did  not  know  you  cared  for  me  in 
that  way.  Not  very  long  ago  I  decided  always 
to  be  single,  so  that  I  might  help  others,  and  I 
have  given  myself  now  to  that  Tvork." 

You  gave,  then,  what  belonged  to  me.  I 
meant  everyf^hing  in  that  request  I  made,  and 
which  you  piomised  to  keep,,  and  I  trusted  you 

worked  with  the  expectation  of  receiving  my 


i 


1^ 


822 


A  MSETINO. 


reward.    There  are  otihers  who  can  do  this  work ; 
oan  you  not  leave  some  one  in  your  place  ?  " 

There  was  a  sudden  catching  of  the  breath  as 
she  looked  up  eagerly. 

"  If  your  father  and  mother  would  come  here 
and  take  charge  —  O,  Donald !  if  I  could  only, 
go  with  you  I  only  be  sure  that  you  care  enough 
for  me  to  want  me  with  you  always,  how  glad  I 
should  be ;  but  you  are  so  learned,  and  I "  — 
He  stopped  her  there. 

"You  must  never  say  anything  against  my 
wife  in  my  presence,  Angela;  I  will  not  permit 
it  from  any  human  lips,  not  even  yours." 
She  gave  him  a  puzzled  look. 
"  Do  you  not  remember  how  you  used  to  assure 
me  you  could  never  really  respect  me  if  I  was  not 
clever  and  studious  ?  "       ■ 

"I  did  not  understand  womenkind  then,  'An- 
gela ;  did  not  know  the  grandeur  and  beauty  of 
a  pure  woman's  so«J  —  how  it  surpasses  our 
highest  culture.  I  am  only  amazed  that  one  like 
you  should  care  to  mate  with  me  ;  but,  darling,  I 
will  be  very  tender  to  you." 

The  look  of  supreme  content  she  bestowed 
upon  him  made  him  forget  the  years  that  had 
divided  them. 

"I  hope  I  won't  be  jealous  of  your  specimens 


an 
w< 
pr 
ki 

TO 

m< 


ou 


A  UBBTIMO. 


any  more ;  but,  dear,  I  won't  interfere  with  your 
work ;  you  have  trained  me  so  that  I  will  nu^e  a 
pretty  obedient  and  not  very  exacting  wife.  A  few 
kind  words  now  and  then  will  make  me  happy." 

The  sweet  humility  and  patience  in  face  and 
voice  gave  him  a  very  unusual  and  unexpected 
moisture  about  the  eyes. 

She  looked  at  him  presently  a  little  sorrowfully. 

"I  had  forgotten;  we  have  been  permitting 
ourselves  these  happy  fancies,  and  yet  we  do  not 
know  if  they  can  be  fulfilled." 

"  They  shall  be  fulfilled,  unless  death  inter* 
poses."  He  spoke  with  something  of  the  old 
sternness  in  voice  and  face  that  she  remembered 
so  well. 

"  I  can  only  leave  my  children  and  the  work 
here  in  your  father's  care.  Unless  he  and  your 
mother  consent  to  come  here  and  live,  I  cannot 
leave  the  Pines." 

"Do  not  speak  that  way,  Angela;  I  shall 
doubt  if  you  ever  have  loved  me." 

"  Duty  must  come  before  everything,  Donald ; 
you  have  lived  without  me  all  these  years ;  have 
missed  me  far  less  than  my.  children  would  have 
done  —  will  miss- me  in  the  coming  years  less 
than  they.  Could  you  respect  me  if  I  left  all 
and  foUowed  you  ?  " 


824 


A  MBETIKO. 


"  It  18  impoBgible  for  me  to  think  of  you  under 
any  condition  in  life  In  which  I  should  not  respect 

you." 

"  With  that  assurance  I  think  I  can  manage  to 
be  content."     Her  voice  trembled  a  little. 

"  It  is  useless  giving  ourselves  this  unnecessary 
pain;  my  father  will  be  ghid  to  come  here;  his 
whole  heart  is  in  your  work.  His  letters  have 
contained  little  else  than  descriptions  of  you  and 
your  work ;  even  if  I  had  been  fickle  enough  to 
forget  you,  his  letters  would  have  kept  your 
memory  green.  Angela,  you  can  never  undeiw 
stand  how  I  have  longed  for  this  hour  —  dreamed 
of  it,  dreaded  lest  it  might  never  come.  I 
trusted  a  great  deal  to  a  young  girl's  fancy." 

"If  you  had  only  told  me,  so  that  I  could 
really  h&ve  been  sure.  I  made  up  my  mind  at 
last  that  it  was  all  a  mistake ;  but  I  kept  my 
heart  empty  for  you." 

"  Have  I  not  made  plain  my  reason  for  not 
speaking  ?  I  could  not  ask  you  to  link  your  fort- 
une  to  an  obscure,  penniless  youth.  Have  yon 
been  reading  the  papers  btely?"  he  asked, 
somewhat  irrelevantly. 

"  Very  little ;  I  have  been  too  busy,"  she  said, 
looking  mystified. 

«  My  father  did  not  tell  yon,  then?  but  no, 


wmmsmmmmmmammmmmmm 


A  MSBTIHO. 


835 


that  would  hay^  been  unlike  him.  Angela,  I 
have  written  the  book  you  asked  for  long  ago, 
and  it  is  likely  to  make  my  fortune.  You  can 
choose  the  mansion  or  the  cabin,  as  you  please. 
In  either  ease,  I  shall  be  able  to  gratify  your 
request." 

«'  O,  Donald !  I  am  so  glad  for  your  sake. 
Can  I  understand  the  book  ?  Did  you  bring  it 
for  me  to  read  ?  " 

«'I  wanted  to  talk  myself.  I  will  give  the 
book  a  chance  some  other  time." 

She  was  very  quiet,  apparently  forgetting  even 
Donald's  dear  presence.  He  watched  her  closely. 
Tho  mood  was  a  new  one  even  to  him,  but  all  her 
ways  and  moods  fascinated  him,  and  just  then 
books,  or  ambition,  or  the  great  world's  praise, 
counted  very  little  with  him  as  he  sat  with  her  at 
his  side,  in  the  supreme  content  that  yean  of 
waiting  brought. 

"  I  wish  Lindsay  could  know !  What  she  so 
longed  for  has  come  just  a  little  too  late.  Oh ! 
I  am  so  glad  that  I  shall  have  the  company  I  like 
henceforth." 

Her  sentence  ended  with  a  sigh  of  deep 
content 


iflM 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


THE  END. 


Donald  was  not  mistaken.  His  father  ac- 
cepted the  charge,  though  with  many  misgivings, 
refusing,  however,  any  remuneration  for  his  and 
his  wife's  services,  save  their  bo&rd  and  lodging. 

"It  is  just  the  Lord's  doings,"  David  s^d 
reverently,  when  entering  upon  his  duties.  ^  I 
have  always  wanted  to  do  something  for  him,  but 
my  way  has  been  hedged  up." 

Angela  thought  he  had  done  a  great  deal  in 
giving  to  the  world  such  a  son  as  Donald —  one 
who  had  already  stood  before  princes  and  been 
honored  by  theut,  for,  by  degrees,  she  had  drawn 
from  him  something  of  the  story  of  his  successes ; 
but  these  had  a  measure  of  pain  for  her  as  well 
as  rejoicing,  since  it  only  served  to  widen  the 
distance  between  his  acquirements  and  her  own. 
From  their  earliest  acquaintance  she  had  read  his 
character  correctly,  instinctively  recognizing  gifts 

S26 


TBii  mm. 


887 


of  intellect  and  eliAMMt^T  differant  from  all  her 
other  aoquaintanoei,  and  even  now  she  ooold 
hardly  realize  that  these,  in  their  full  deTelop. 
ment,  had  all  been  Uid  at  her  feet ;  that  he  had 
chosen  her,  longed  to  have  her  for  a  life-long 
companion  and  friend.  The  honor  confeired  on 
her  by  this  seleotion  seemed  so  out  of  proportion 
to  her  deserts  she  oonld  hardly  realise  it 

Donald  insisted  that  they  shonld  hare  the  best 
(lay  in  the  whole  year  for  their  wedding  day,  and, 
altbongh  it  was  just  at  hand,  their  Christmas 
celebration  included  the  marriage  celebration  too. 
All  her  boys  and  girk  from  far  and  near  were 
invited,  while  the  preparations  for  their  enter> 
tainment  were  more  abundant  than  elaborate. 
An  hundred  and  more  of  these  were  gathered  in 
the  large  parlor  and  library,  which  seemed  to 
have  been  pkmued  c  purpose  for  this  occasion. 
The  marriage  ceremony  took  place  at  midday,  so 
as  to  allow  those  within  easy  driving  distance 
time  to  come  and  return  the  same  day ;  the  rest 
had  to  crowd  into  whateysi  empty  spaces  they 
could  find  for  themselves.  The  faces  gathered 
there  rembded  one  of  an  April  day  —  smiles  and 
tears  commingled. 

To  some  of  them  it  neeiued  impossible  that 
Angela  could  be  spared  and  the  work  still  go  on. 


828 


THB  BMI>> 


but  she  had  auoh  faith  in  David  and  hit  wife, 
that  she  had  actually  pewuadod  herself,  and  any 
one  who  would  listen  to  her,  that  the  change 
would  be  a  fortunate  one  for  the  children.  It  ii 
hardly  necessary  to  say  that  Donald,  for  reason, 
of  his  own,  encouraged  her  in  the  belief. 

Angela  received  few  gifts  of  much  value,  but 
some  of  them  were  consecrated  in  a  manner  not 
usual  with  wedding  presents,  tears  (.f  thankful- 
ness   from  the   grateful   bride   adding  to  their 
costliness.     They  went,  some  of  them,  as  low  as 
a  dime,  and  inclosed  in  an  envelope  with  a  few 
pathetic  lines,  praying  that  she  would  buy  some- 
thing  that  she  could  always   have  with  her  to 
remember  them  by;  a  request  she  fulfilled  by 
purchasing  a  pretty  ring,  the  necessary  amount 
to  do  this    supplemented   by  Donald,   thereby 
enhancing  its  value. 

As  the  months  wore  on,  the  messages  passmg 
to  and  fro  between  the  Pines  and  Angela  were  a 
comfort  alike  to  both  parties.  David  was  in- 
clined to  give  only  the  happier  side  of  his  expen- 
enoes  with  the  work  she  had  bequeathed  to  him, 
while  she  beUeved  that  her  pathway  was  aU 
Bunny,  for  Donald  fulfUled,  even  better  than  she 
had  expected,  the  promise  made  to  her  the  night 
of  their  betrothaL 


THB  HMD. 


\  wife, 
d  aoy 
ihange 
Itii 
eauoiu 

le,  but 
er  not 
uikful- 
)  their 
low  M 
I  a  few 
T  Bome- 
her  to 
lied  by 
amount 
thereby 

passing 
k  were  a 
was  in* 
I  experi- 
to  him, 
was  all 
than  she 
be  night 


Her  happiuess  was  complete  when  she  sent  to 
the  proud  grandparents  an  exquisite  picture  of 
herself,  which  she  regarded,  however,  as  a  very 
indifferent  work  of  art,  save  for  the  tiny  figure 
robed  in  lace  and  lawn,  surmounted  by  a  pink 
baby  face,  which  she  held  in  her  arms ;  a  bit  of 
hiituanity  of  the  most  wonderful  kind  imaginable, 
since  it  was  Donald's  boy. 

Other  children  in  the  great  German  city  where 
she  lived  had  already  learned  to  love,  and  with 
very  good  reason,  the  beautiful  lady  who  talked 
to  them  in  sweet,  broken  accents ;  for  here,  too, 
Angela  found  many  a  youthful  life  in  danger  of 
being  utterly  marred  and  sh  ored  by  sin,  and 
winch  needed  help  fully  as  much  as  any  in  her 
native  land.  But  she  did  not  here  meet  the  in- 
difference which  had  characterized  her  work  in 
Longhui'st. 


IL 


Jfe:. 


